The Hunt for the Alicorn
by Knight7572
Summary: When the Strider squadron are tasked with capturing the advanced nuclear submarine Alicorn however when Matias Torres goes rogue the mission changes and the hunt for the Alicorn begins can three strikes, his team and his sister stop captain Torres form committing the greatest massacre in strangereal's history
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Ace combat

July 27th 2022  
Fort greys air base  
Usea

Trigger was sitting at his desk filling out some paperwork "Okay Scrap Queen take it easy." Trigger looked up from his paperwork. He hoped he'd never have to do this paperwork but alas time had run out for him on that one.

"Easy for you to say you're not the one carrying twins." a voice he recognised as his wife and the other was his number 3 in strider Jaeger.

Jaeger, a 9 month pregnant Avril and a 6 year old Erich Jaeger stepped into the room. "Hi Trigger." Trigger could see that Erich was with him but a simple glance at the calendar told him that it was a school day.

"Morning Jaeger, Avril so let me guess another phantom labour?" Trigger knew Avril had that happen a few times already.

"Yeah." Avril sat down on the chair. Trigger was eager to welcome his two new family members into the world that he'd fought so hard to protect.

"So I heard that Grunder industries really got hit hard by the government for their involvement in the war as did General Resources." Trigger knew that the fallout from the lighthouse war was hard cause Osean government was not letting people get away with betraying their country a 2nd time and had taken control of the company.

"Yeah sadly it looks like the UCAV law may not be around much longer." Trigger and Jaeger knew it was inevitable that the law wouldn't last.

"Trigger could you keep an eye on Erich for today?" Jaeger knew he couldn't do with all the work he had to do.

"Sure Jaeger." Trigger's paperwork could wait. He and Erich sat on the sofa but Trigger quickly realised he had no clue as to how to entertain little Erich. He racked his brain trying to think of something when he remembered something Jaeger always did that Erich probably liked.

"Erich how about I tell you a story." Trigger could see that Erich was eager to hear a story but Avril thought to herself why not she's been grounded for the last 10 months.

"So how about the story of Three strikes vs the Arsenal Bird at the Lighthouse?" Avril suspected that one would have been told a lot.

"That story is boring and I've heard it many times." Erich wanted an exciting tale instead of one he heard many times.

"Alright how about Three Strikes vs the Alicorn sea monster?" Avril's ears perked up at her husband's story suggestion.

"Tell me that one! Please?" Erich insisted as Avril lay flat on her back as Trigger helped Erich into a cushion.

"Well if you're sitting comfortably then I'll begin..." Trigger started speaking as Avril thought back to those events.

_September 2nd 2019  
New arrows air base  
Eastern usea  
20:00pm_

_Trigger and Count were in Wiseman's office "So Count, Trigger we have a problem." Trigger and Count knew that this wasn't about what happen on the raid to destroy the irbm silos._

_"What's the problem?" Count inquired as Trigger was thinking of a solution._

_"Our mechanics are working hard to keep the planes running but Trigger's bird is proving very difficult to keep running so I need suggestions on how we deal with this problem or that eagle will be replaced by the newer one." Wiseman's voice was sharp meaning he was being serious._

_"Well then we need the Scrap Queen." Count looked at Trigger knowing if anyone could fix his failing eagle it was her._

_"Your mechanic form spare squadron well if you two can vouch for her then I'll contact the base on Tyler island and request that she be sent over here dismissed." Wiseman having seen Avril's handiwork for himself._

_The two pilots left the room as Wiseman picked up the phone._

_September 3rd 2019  
08:30am_

_Wiseman was stood near a C-17A Globemaster 3 as the spare squadron mechanic stepped off the plane "Welcome to New Arrows Air Force Base Scrap Queen."_

_"Wiseman its nice to see you again and thank god if I'm off that island." Avril looked around seeing several heavy transport globemaster 3._

_Wiseman had noticed the limp on Avril's right leg and knew where the injury had come from as they had the wrecked warbird in the far hangar "So Avril tell me something was Trigger one to do orders his way?"_

_ Wiseman had noted that Trigger was stubborn with orders and made plans of his own to get the job done._

_"Well yeah why do you ask?" Avril was a little curious as to why Wiseman was asking this about Trigger._

_"Well yesterday Strider were sent to destroy IRBMs but Trigger took extra weapons despite his orders to be terminal guidance for the bombers." He recounted as they walked over to the base car._

_"If I know that dumbass he did the mission his way." Avril knew form Trigger's flying style that he'd go in with a lot of firepower._

_"So if you were him what would you do?" she asked back as they passed the other Globemasters._

_"If I were him I'd take enough missiles to clear as many enemy fighters before you arrived at the target so the pathfinders and bombers had no enemy fighters harassing them." Wiseman had spent the evening looking over Trigger's actions in the reports given to him by Jaeger._

_As they drove towards the far hanger "If you weren't sent to Tyler island I'd have had you reassigned with Trigger and Count when they joined us." Wiseman knew a mechanic with Avril's skill was better suited away from the front lines especially with the leg injury she had._

_Avril sighed to herself as it was clear to her that no-one had told him "Wiseman I'm not an officially employed by the air force in fact I'm a civilian sent to spare actually."_

_"Wait what! the air force sent a civilian to military penal squadron just how messed up has our penal system gotten?" Wiseman was caught by complete surprise that the military would send an injured civilian mechanic to a military base._

_"Very messed up." Wiseman parked the base car up next to the hangar, Avril could hear that there was a lot of activity in the hangar._

**In the hangar**

_Avril and Wiseman could see the mechanics were installing conformal fuel tanks on the eagle but Avril quickly caught the three claw marks on the plane's tail "So what needs fixing on the dumbass's plane?" she had expected to be fixing up jets but had already spotted the engines were out of the aircraft._

_"Avril the mechanics know you tuned up the engines and the guys here don't want to service them cause they'd not know how to keep them as they are." Wiseman said to her but Avril had anticipated this problem and had been mentally kicking herself for not being detailed in her log._

_"Right so I'll get started." Avril walked over to the mechanics looking at the engines. Wiseman figured it was best to leave them to get the work done so quietly left the hangar._

9 hours and 25 minutes later

_Trigger was sitting on the sofa watching the news "Is there something you need Wiseman?" Trigger wondered why he was being asked to go to the hangar unless there was a problem with his jet._

_"The mechanics need to see you in the hangar." Wiseman already knew that was a partial lie that the team didn't need to see him but a certain mechanic did._

_Over in the hangar_

_Trigger quietly stepped into the hangar seeing his eagle with its engine reinstalled "Well you lucky son of a bitch how are you still standing?" Trigger recognised the voice as someone he wasn't expecting to see again._

_Trigger quickly looked over his shoulder "Avril what are you doing here?"_

_"I requested her as per your suggestion from last night Trigger." Wiseman could understand Trigger's surprise at seeing Avril again._

_"We need a mechanic with her skill to help us and frankly she'd have a greater chance of survival if she's with us since Three Strikes is here."_

_"Well Trigger your Eagle's conformal fuel tanks have been installed but I'm concerned that there is something wrong with the jet. So I haven't read the log yet but the engines are good to go." Avril had made a new tweak that reduced the fuel consumption rate._

_"I have one more surprise for you Trigger." Wiseman could hear the roar of a F110 turbofan engine._

**Outside on the tarmac**_  
17:30pm_

_Trigger and Wiseman were standing on the tarmac of New Arrows Air Base when a lone viper zero touched down, Trigger could see the conformal fuel tanks and the number 9 on the plane's nose."Wiseman why is there a super kai configured Viper Zero of the viper squadron at our base?"_

_"Well Trigger the last few missions have shown that we substantially lack air to surface ops capability and your jet is the only one which still has that capability." Trigger could see the problem since the C-model Eagle wasn't designed for that but could carry limited amounts of air to surface munitions._

_They waited for the viper zero pilot to park up the plane "I decided to ask for some help and since Viper Squadron was the closest i asked them first and Viper 4 was quite eager to accept. She bought a prototype XF-2C Super Viper Zero while we have the XF-2D Super Viper Zero two seat prototype."_

_"So who did they send us?" Trigger asked as the Super Viper Zero pilot climbed out her aircraft._

_"Seriously Scott did your time in jail make you forgetful?" the__ Super Viper Zero __ pilot replied as she closed the canopy. Trigger recognised the voice immediately._

_A ground crewman came out carrying a pet cage "Package for you Trigger."_

_Before Trigger could even respond after the groundsman opened the cage, a black and white blur leapt out knocking Trigger to the tarmac faster than he could react and began licking his face as Viper 4 came over to them._

_"Okay Eagle that's enough I'm happy to see you too girl." Eagle walked over to Laura who happily stroked Eagle's fur._

_"Sis." Trigger said walking feverishly over to his sister._

_"Bro" she responded running towards him._

_"Come here you." the pair hugged tightly as they embraced after not seeing each other since Trigger's court martial._

_Eagle sniffed Wiseman who quickly caught onto what Eagle was doing "I guess she's trying to get my scent."_

_Eagle got onto her hind legs nuzzling against Wiseman "I think Eagle likes you Wiseman, she only does that when she likes someone, Eagle treat time." Trigger explained as he held out a treat which eagle ate up happily._

_"Scott when are you going to introduce me to your teammates?" Laura was eager to meet the people who were flying with her brother since from what Trigger told her they were interesting people._

_"Come on then." the three pilots and Eagle as another Globemaster touched down._

**In the Break Room**

_Count and Jaeger and the other LRSSG members were relaxing when Trigger, Wiseman, Laura and Eagle came in "So Trigger who's this new face haven't seen her before?" Count asked._

_"Well everyone say hello to Laura the number 4 in the Viper squadron and the dog down below is my pet dog eagle."_

_"You know each other then?" Huxian wondered how Laura and Trigger knew each other._

_"Trigger's my brother actually." the other members of the __LRSSG__ were taken aback cause Trigger never mentioned his family leaving them to ask themselves just how much did they truly know about their flight lead._

_"I didn't know you had family Trigger." Huxian shook Laura's hand but Eagle with no warning started licking Huxian's face "Stop it." she burst into laughter. Trigger smiled feeling happy that Eagle was making new friends._

_"I do and the only other person you haven't met yet is my older cousin Serena a lawyer in Oured or my mum Elena." Trigger was thankful for his cousin being a lawyer as she took on his case after the whole mess with Harling's death._

_"She was the one who worked to get that bogus murder charge overturned after the shambles show of a trial." Laura was angry when her brother had been found guilty cause the evidence form his brother's F-16 was ignored by the court. She had asked Serena what legal action they could take against the IUN-PKF over the false conviction._

_Trigger quietly left the room as the others talked with Laura._

**New arrows hangar no.3**_  
17:55pm_

_Count and Wiseman were standing in the hangar watching as Avril was installing the laser cannons._

_"Yup, that's her." Count answered. Both of them looked across the airfield at the open hangar where a petite brown skinned woman was under the belly of an aircraft. Even from a distance, it was clear she was heavily focused on her work._

_"I talked to her a bit when we were at Zapland when you boys were still convicts." Wiseman told him. "She seemed interested in the op at Yinshi Valley and we answered a few questions she had about it. But mainly interested in the pilot who gave Mr.X a run for his money."_

_"Trigger." Count replied. As if on cue, the mentioned pilot walked across the airfield towards the open hangar where the Scrap Queen was currently working in._

_"Yeah. She was asking around the base about him afterwards." He told his flight lead._

_"They seem to spend a lot of time together, don't they?" Wiseman observed, as they watched the two, who were engaged in what could only be another grilling session, with Trigger on the receiving end of it._

_Count chuckled. "She chews him out a lot. Rightfully so."_

_"She chews him out like a wife would do to her husband." Wiseman laughed._

_Count couldn't help but grin at what his flight lead just said._

_Wiseman laughed and turned around. "Well, you two vouched for her and had us bring her here. And she seems quite a capable and hardy woman. She'll be a useful asset."_

_"We know she is." Count told him._

_"And Count," Wiseman stopped and turned to face him. "Keep an eye on Strider 1 and her, will you? You know what I meant when I said they spend a lot of time together. We can have a little fun with a small bet._

_"You sound like someone I used to know." Count shook his head with a smile._

_Count stepped into the hangar seeing that Trigger and Avril were still arguing "I'm coming with you tomorrow since cause you're so reckless with the jet that you could damage the hard work I put in to getting it up and running." Avril looked at the eagle which despite it looking in working order she knew it was not fit to fly._

_"That ain't happening, Avril. For starters, you're injured. Two; its too dangerous. I won't allow it." Trigger countered her request._

_"Trigger, I can handle myself. I've flown a plane before anyway, and I managed to crash land that one after being shot at." Avril revealed to him._

_"You what?! That's how you ended up in Zapland?!"_

_"Apparently it broke wartime aviation laws. And no radio."_

_That's even more reason to not let you come along! You almost died!" Trigger told her sternly._

_"And you don't think you almost die on those suicide missions you were sent on in prison?" Avril replied, her voice raising a little._

_"That was different! And sorry, but I can't let you come along. You could get hurt even more."_

_"Trigger! I'm coming along and that's final! I don't want to see this fresh plane also get busted beyond recognition by your dumbass!"_

_ "What are you two bickering about?" Count asked, walking closer to them as they turned their heads to him._

_ "Count! Tell him! I'm coming with him on this op!" Avril glared daggers with Count who shrank back a bit._

_ "Whoa, leave me out of this!" He put up his hands in defense._

_ "Come on! Who's side are you on?" Trigger asked him incredulously._

_"Oh for fuck's sake- fine! You want to come along? Then you got your wish." Trigger threw his hands up as a sign of giving up. Clearly arguing with her back and forth wouldn't get either of them anywhere._

_"Trigger once Avril sets her mind to something resistance is futile buddy." Trigger glared at Count who stepped back out of the hangar, who was of no help at all, at least to him._

_"Exactly how were you even planning to come along? My Eagle's a single seater." He gestured to his heavily damaged plane._

_"Simple, actually." Avril picked up a radio and it sizzled to life._

_"Hey Cyclops, I'm grounding Strider 1's aircraft due to extensive damage. It can't exactly fly and it would take too long to fix. Requesting replacement components for it, and a Strike Eagle as a replacement plane for him instead for tomorrow's combat sortie."_

_Trigger looked at her with surprise. Surely Wiseman wouldn't-?_

_The radio crackled back as Cyclops 1's voice came out of it._

_"You're the boss little lady. We know he flies a little too recklessly but you know his shit better than we do. We'll get him a Strike Eagle per your request. And replacement parts. I have to hand it to you, you sure know your way around planes. Our planes seem the most finely tuned they ever have been so consider this a thanks."_

_Avril thanked him and shut off the radio, placing it down on the table with a devious smirk on her face as Trigger looked at her, dumbfounded._

_"You... grounded my plane... and got me a new double seater one just to fly with me?" He got out._

_Avril shrugged._

_Trigger huffed and turned away before looking back at her, a dry chuckle leaving his throat. "You are one resilient, tough woman, you know that?"_

_"I'm tougher than you, you dumbass."_

_Trigger laughed. "That's probably true." He agreed with her. "Couldn't have asked for a better mechanic to look after me."_

_"I just don't want to see the aircraft damaged too much given what you've done to your single seater eagle and I don't want you to get hurt cause unlike a plane you can't be so easily replaced."_

_Trigger flashed a smirk "Are you worried about me Scrap Queen?" Avril thumped his shoulder._

_Trigger rubbed his arm with a groan "Don't even think for a second that I like you that way, I'm just trying to make sure you don't get killed."_

_Trigger quietly laughed "I'll see you in the morning when we're ready for the mission briefing Scrap Queen." Trigger quietly left the hangar leaving Avril with the damaged Eagle._

a/n

Well I hope you enjoy the premiere of my hunt for the alicorn fic I'll only be covering the 3 missions and I'd like to thank montymarten for letting me use her idea and k-nack7 for the help with this chapter


	2. Unexpected visitor

_Disclaimer: I do not own Ace combat_

**September 4th 2019**  
**Artiglio port**  
_Southern usea  
8am_

__Captain Matias Torres stood on the Alicorn's deck watching through binoculars as a San Antonio class landing ship accompanied by a ____Ticonderoga____ Aegis Cruiser and six Arleigh-Burke class Aegis Destroyers came into view in the distance.__

__The rumbling of a helicopter caught his attention as an ____OMDF S____eahawk helicopter came over "Must ____be ____doing recon before they try to capture the ship." Torres watched as the number two small railgun emerged. He put on the ear defenders he carried form his quarters as the gun fired splitting the sea hawk helicopter in half.__

__Torres removed his defenders while his hand was at portable radio ″its a requiem, set off as soon as we are ready.″__

__**New Arrows air base  
East Usea**____  
8:30am__

__A dark grey Strike Eagle was parked up as Trigger and Avril stepped into the hangar holding breakfast "So Avril briefing for Sighthound is in half an hour." Avril was more focused on the jet. Trigger's claw lines had been painted on the tail.__

_"___So why are the LRSSG using Eagles for anti-surface which they aren't designed for? and why aren't you using the e-model strike eagle cause they can do both ground attack and air to air operations?"__

__Trigger sighed as ____Avril looked at him while he quietly ate his breakfast.____"Frankly I've been wondering the same thing cause my Eagle can do that cause as best as I understand it was modified to do that role. Its one of the C-models that was built in the pre-belkan war years."__

__Avril leaned against the crates "So its a 2nd hand jet."__

_"___Well apparently the eagle you rebuilt for me was used by Sapin as a multi-role air superiority and ground attack aircraft then Osea used it but seems they forgot to remove its ground attack capabilities and the manual override on the FCS system." Trigger had climbed onto the crates.__

_"___Frankly Avril the war is pushing our planes hard but its probably good thinking to order it to be grounded cause it probably should have been done weeks ago." Trigger looked over the tarmac seeing the Navy Clippers and Air Force Nightingale 2s being unloaded with base supplies.__

**U****_**nknown airbase**_****_  
_**__8:55am__

__Otto and Elke van Dalsen better known as Rage and Scream of GRGM were sitting at a table enjoying breakfast when a file placed next to Rage. "So this is the Trigger we've been hired to kill?" He flipped the file to show Scream who looked at the picture of Trigger.__

_"___Is he good?" Scream asked her brother who read through the file as Scream enjoyed her breakfast.__

__"Oh he's good alright and is experienced on multiple Yuketobanian and Osean fighters." Rage looked up from the file "Foxhound, Sea Eagles, Fulcrums, Phantoms, Fighting Falcons and Eagles."__

__Scream put down her breakfast "So we'll have a challenge." The 2 mercs tucked into their breakfast.__

**_**New arrows briefing room no.1**_****_  
_**__9am__

__Trigger, Avril and Eagle stepped into the room but Howard Clements looked at him "Trigger why did you bring that dog into the briefing?"__

__Eagle sniffed the air around Howard growling sharply her tail dropped between her legs "I don't know why but Eagle doesn't like you sir."__

__Trigger and the Scrap Queen sat down with Eagle next to him as Long Caster standing in front of a projection screen as ineligible info appeared on the screen "Fencer still hasn't recovered?" Count asked Lanza as the outline of the usean continent appeared in front of them with the LRSSG logo.__

_"___He has but the doctor won't let him fly." Lanza replied sounding not happy that one of his squadron mates was out of commission for the last 16 days.__

_"___Guessed as much." Count chuckled to himself as he hoped Fencer would learn something from this.__

__A new voice that none of the LRSSG knew. "How much are you going to make me wait?" the mystery voice said sounding annoyed at the delay leaving everyone puzzled as to who it was.__

_"___Who's the self important stiff? Huxian asked wondering just who was sounding annoyed. The outline the continent changed to show the allied and erusean territory as a technician placed a laptop on the nearby table.__

_"___He'll hear." Lanza responded as the technician typed in a few bits of info while plugging the laptop in as Jaeger relaxed wondering what was going on.__

_"___He's really quite important." Jaeger mused quietly as the rest of Cyclops squadron were taking their seat but he could see Serpentina was seated next to Trigger although as he had observed over the hour since Serpentina had arrived at their base. They seemed to watch the other's back.__

_"___We're connected, ready now sir." a 2nd mystery voice replied as the 1st mystery spoke again but for some reason Trigger didn't trust something in his gut was telling him that this mystery person was hiding something.__

_"___I'm Brigadier General Howard Clements. I'm in charge of this operation." the LRSSG were all surprised that a high ranking officer was involved in this operation "Our objective is to capture an advanced submarine in harbour at Artigilo." the map zoomed into the location that Count and Trigger both knew well.__

__Trigger looked at Howard, something was telling him that Howard wasn't to be trusted but he couldn't place it. "about 2 and a half months ago the port of Artigilo and the surrounding oil facilities were mostly destroyed by another air operation." Trigger, Avril and Count knew that mission well as they had been there before.__

_"___Oh that port seems like such a long time ago." Count mused remembering the raid by Spare squadron like it was yesterday.__

_"___You've been there?" Skald asked wondering how Count knew the port but Count couldn't get his answer in time before Howard resumed talking.__

_"___Yeah we were it should have been a simple raid except for a monster sandstorm making things more difficult." Trigger replied as he thought about the mission he took Avril on in a phantom.__

_"___Yeah that one was a nightmare for me with sand in the engines." Avril hated having to clean the sand out of the spares turbines after returning from the raid.__

_"___However, Erusean forces repaired the facilities and used them to resupply and maintenance a massive submarine." Howard explained but Trigger had thought the ____E____ruseans would repair the facility when the 2nd mystery voice returned to the room.__

_"___Okay I'll make time to destroy the facilities." Trigger said but David could tell Trigger was looking at the wider picture something he knew from people in his line of work.__

_"___Here's a question how long do you think this submarine is?" he asked but before any of the pilots could answer "If you guessed 495 meters, you're right. It also has a width of 116 meters and a submerged displacement of 810,000 tons." David explained as a 3D image of the sub came up onto the screen "Its a super sized submarine powered by two liquid cooled metal reactors.__

__Trigger and Serpentina looked at each other realising that their plan would make things much worse than they had naively thought. "Fuck." Laura cursed as her plan to disable the sub was a bust." Trigger looked at her as he knew the plan was out too.__

_"___So Sis new plan we try to disable the engines if possible." he said as Scott and Laura quickly worked out what they will do. Their discussion hadn't gone unnoticed by Wiseman.__

_"___So if we sunk the sub then." Laura began as it dawned just how stupid their plan was.__

_"___One mighty big bang if the ship goes boom, it makes the v-2 look like a water bomb in comparison." Trigger whispered but the brigadier general stopped talking as information about the sub appeared on screen.__

_"___That's spot on Trigger and why we can't blow it up in port especially since the radiation would cause an environmental disaster." David had talked to the ship designers and was told how bad the radioactive contamination would be if the reactors exploded.__

_"___I guess it is really huge, so who's the quiz show host?" Huxian asked having never heard the other person before. She wondered if this was a game show or a mission briefing.__

_"___David North." he said introducing himself "I'm an OIA analyst from the advanced weapons analysis. It's a pleasure to meet all of you especially the famous Three Strikes." David had read the reports on operations that Trigger had been in.__

_"___Why isn't he here?" Cynthia immediately felt that she had asked a stupid question.__

_"___Because he doesn't need to be. He can perform his analysis at his home office." Wiseman jumped in to clear up Huxian's confusion who patiently leaned back and listened.__

_"___We've got ourselves an armchair detective." Jaeger couldn't resist saying as the 3D image rotated around showing the flight crews more of the ship.__

_"___Continue." was all Wiseman said as David took over again.__

_"___I've come to call this super submarine the Alicorn, I believe the only one ever built by the ____Y____uktobanians."__

_"___The Alicorn is submarine… and yet it can stage aircraft operations like a carrier, It also boasts some serious firepower with two main railguns" Trigger and Laura mentally started thinking up a tag team attack to knock out those railguns. "their range is over 400 kilometres. A real monster if their ever was one."__

__Trigger and Laura without even saying a word began thinking of how to bring out and disable the submarine railguns while the 3D image showed where the railguns were located that Trigger and Laura made a mental note to hit first if the opportunity allowed.__

_"___The sub's force projection are equivalent to a carrier strike group, furthermore it can approach from underwater or use aircraft and railguns to attack outside the enemy's range."__

__Trigger felt the room go cold since he's served on a carrier strike group during his 9 months in the navy and knew how much firepower they could pack.__

__A female computer voice took over from David allowing him to catch his breath as pictures of the sub and a newspaper article displayed "It has an unusual history. Befitting such a ship; it was launched four years ago, however it went MIA while it undergoing a sea trial after being outfitted in November 2016. It was later found at the bottom of the ocean by chance, and of the 356 crew, 330 were rescued."__

_"___Here's the question. For how many days was the Alicorn underwater?" David asked the Strider and Cyclops pilots slipping back into being a quiz show host. "It was 698 days."__

_"___Woah." Lanza said he sounded very surprised since that didn't seem possible "They were down there nearly two years." Lanza knew that the submarine would have run out of oxygen but Trigger was more concerned about what happened amongst the crew who were stuck down there for 2 years.__

_"___So long as the nuclear reactors intact they would be able to make oxygen still its incredible piece of yuke engineering." Everyone else in the room silently agreed on that.__

_"___You're not wrong Jaeger I mean has any of you seen the jet seaplanes." ____Trigger turned to his number 3. __

_"_T____he Yukes built like the Altair I remember my foxhound squadron was deployed to Yuketobania for training exercises once but thanks to some blunders by Osea we got sent to a seaplane base but luckily the Yukes sent an Altair to ferry us over to the right base." Trigger couldn't help himself but think back to that day.__

_"___If we can get back to the mission briefing now gentleman." Howard wasn't amused by Trigger's irrelevant chit-chat.__

_"___They were on the sea floor, at 15 degrees but how they survived is let's just say not for the faint of heart." David continued but paused as he knew a question was coming.__

__Jaeger knew something didn't add up so posed a question to him "Why are they deploying it to the front lines now?"__

_"___I suspect it has to do with the loss of an Arsenal Bird and the IRBM cluster." he responded which told Trigger he had read up on their previous missions that they had been on over the last 2 weeks.__

_"___Huh. Okay so we blow up the damn thing?" Lanza said unaware that Trigger and his sister had the same idea but had aborted that idea.__

_"___No we capture it don't make me repeat myself." Howard responded with anger but when he said next sent a chill down everyone present "We've had reports from local sources that there are weapons of mass destruction aboard the Alicorn."__

_"___Source?" David asked the brigadier but Howard didn't even respond to his query before he resumed the briefing.__

__"Let just say their are channels the intelligence agency is unaware of." Howard despite being a brigadier general had served with the oia decades ago and had connections on the ground that he could trust.__

_"___If we can secure that evidence; we'll gain advantage in the peace negotiations post war." Huxian, Avril and Trigger scowled not liking how the general seemed to care only about political side and not what was at stake.__

__The Osean Navy has dispatched a fleet including a landing ship to capture the Alicorn." Wiseman who had taken over from the general "Our mission to secure air superiority and protect this capture and assault task force. Laura watched as the general stepped in but Trigger was musing to himself that told her something wasn't right about all this."__

_"___If we take too long, they'll scuttle the sub, The fleet will commence its actions while we seize the skies." Trigger didn't like the sound of the plan since it reeked of a disaster in the making as he had flown the Sea Eagle in the OMDF for 9 months and knew that you never send in the fleet without air superiority.__

_"___Wouldn't it be risky to bring the fleet in before we secure air superiority?" Trigger asked but the general just glared at him like he had insulted him or something.__

_"___That is none of your concern." he sharply retorted at the strider flight lead who wanted to let Howard know just how shit this whole plan was but Huxian beat him to it.__

_"___Actually it is my concern since Cyclops are still on standby so Strider are likely going to be scrambled and I've flown in the navy and one thing they taught us navy pilots is you never send in a fleet without air superiority." Trigger knew that Howard couldn't be trusted.__

_"___So basically you're putting out fleet in danger for political games." Huxian's tone was clear for all to hear that she didn't like how the general was playing god with people's lives for political gain.__

_"___They should've taught you how to address superiors in boot camp." was all he said sounding more angry than he was before but Wiseman could feel the tension in the room between the General and Trigger. He made a mental note to ask Trigger what was bothering him.__

_"___An EW____ Squadron will be deployed, their ESM will be a valuable asset. Stay within their range and you'll have a significant advantage over your enemies, the eta for the ew aircraft is the same as h-hour." he explained as arrows indicated who was who and how many enemy fighters they were up against.__

_"__L___et me guess Enchanter Squadron right?" Trigger had flown with enchanter during combat exercises. He expected they'd have gotten the new growler by now.__

_"___You know the EW Squadron we'll be flying with today?" Count turned to his flight lead who leaned back in his chair putting his feet up.__

_"___Yeah i flew in naval training exercises with Enchanter who were using the bulky prowler at the time and we became good friends."__

_"___Precisely." Long Caster butted in unaware of the tensions between Trigger and the brigadier general.__

_"___Why the navy used the old Prowler until late 2017 is beyond me." Trigger mumbled quietly as the outline of the mission area appeared.__

_"___Only Strider Squadron and Serpentina will sortie." Howard's words caught all of the plots off guard having expected the most of the LRSSG to go on for the raid.__

_"___Woah I have to sit this one out?" Tailor said, surprised that such a vital mission would only have Strider squadron taking part.__

_"___Wait, Wiseman, you're not coming?!" Huxian said sounding surprised that the Cyclops squadron would be sitting out such an important mission out.__

_"___I'll be assisting the Brigadier General at HQ." he explained to his team who grumbled that they were having to sit out a mission. Wiseman hated that as well cause he wanted to help the team in the field.__

_"___This is by no means a difficult mission, your squadron commander's absence shouldn't change that." Howard said as the briefing came to an end but David knew that Trigger would be thinking how to stop the sub which he could understand given the firepower it had.__

__The squadron members all got up as the lights came on "Trigger, Serpentina a moment." Wiseman knew that Trigger and his sister were scheming and he needed to let them know whatever they were scheming was a no go. "I couldn't help but notice you were up to something what were you planning?"__

_"___We were planning on how to destroy the Alicorn but after we heard about the reactors we postponed that plan but now we were thinking of attacking its engines to leave it dead in the water or to destroy the railguns since they pose the biggest threat to the fleet." Trigger having heard that the ship could attack with railguns so they had to be destroyed.__

__Howard Clements scowled at him "General you want the ship captured, so why not send a special ops teams in the middle of the night."__

__Trigger had seen the OADF fleet online and knew they had special ops aircraft in the fleet. Avril couldn't help but not agree with Trigger's point.__

_"___The special ops aircraft needed were badly damaged durin____g ____the surprise attack in the opening days of the war and only 1 is operational which I believe was at North point." Wiseman had asked the same question when he had been informed of the operation the night before.__

_"___Damn it. I don't know why but I have a bad feeling about this mission, that its going to be a disaster. Despite there only being 12 enemy aircraft I feel this is too easy I would have expected more than 2 squadrons." Trigger couldn't help but feel something telling him the operation was going to be a disaster.__

__Avril's radio buzzed "Wiseman we have a problem with Skald's eagle's elevator control cables so we have mark it as unserviceable."__

_"___Damn it alright Trigger who will take Skald's place?" Wiseman felt a little annoyed that they were down a plane before they'd even gotten off the ground.__

_"___I think I'll have Jaeger fly cause there's this strider formation I've been wanting to try myself, Count, Jaeger and Huxian." Trigger had spent days working on what who he'd have in a squadron with him.__

_"___Pinching the best from both squadrons." Wiseman chuckled curious to see how that line up might work.__

__**New arrows hanger no.3**__

__Trigger was putting on his flight suit as Avril pulled her helmet from the locker "So Scrap Queen you look good in the flight suit." Trigger zipped his up as he opened his locker getting his helmet.__

_"___Shut up." she was feeling eager to get into the cockpit.__

_"___Avril are you scared about sortieing with me?" Trigger suspected that Avril was not scared in fact was the opposite.__

_"___Nope in fact I'm excited." hearing that confirmed what he suspected.__

_"___Now I know you're more crazy for coming along. Trigger despite knowing how dangerous and how much trouble he and Wiseman would be in if the higher-ups found out about him taking a civilian into a combat situation.__

__The pair stepped into the hangar seeing the strike eagle loaded "So its a four hour flight there." he helped her into the seat buckling her harness then climbed inside the cockpit himself closing the canopy.__

__Trigger started up the plane's two F100-229s and followed the other F-15s to the runway. Skald and Wiseman watched the jets depart. "I got a bad feeling about this mission." Wiseman couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into a disaster.__

**_**Artiglio port**_**__**  
**__**_**Southern Usea**_**__  
14:00pm__

__a flight of three grey-blue Eagles and a dark grey Strike Eagle and one marine blue Super Viper Zero streaked into the airspace with the landing ship Puffin, a lone aegis and six destroyers below.__

_Without any thought Avril armed every weapon on the Strike Eagle. "OFS Puffin do you read me?" Trigger waited for a reply as the flight could see the sub in the distance._

_"___OFS Puffin to Strider 1 go ahead." A female voice responded over the radio.__

_"___Captain Robin Avery is everyone ready down there." He asked the landing ship captain looked at the sub seeing its size and was amazed that a sub like it could exist.__

_"___Everyone is ready but I just have a bad feeling that we needed more ships for this and that its too easy." Robin felt slightly scared given how much firepower the sub could pack from what she was told in the briefing for the operation.__

_"___Yeah I have the same concern well good luck Captain Robin Avery." Trigger wanted to give the crews hope that they'll survive the op.__

_"___You too Three Strikes oh say hi to Long Caster for me." she looked at her shipmates who were just as nervous as she was.__

_"___Captain How do you know our AWACS?" Trigger was curious as to how Robin knew their AWACS.__

_"___Well he and I are old flames we dated in high school." Robin had liked going out with Long Caster but it never worked out between them Robin had been eager to rekindle her romance with him when she learned that they'd be working together.__

_"___I couldn't help but notice your accent a mix of Nordennavic and Osean." Trigger had learned form one of enchanter on how to read accents. It came in handy on more than one occasion.__

_"___Yeah my dad's from there." Robin could hear what she could tell was south east belkan that she knew from history class became the republic of Ustio "from your accent a mix of osean and belkan right."__

_"___Yeah my mom was Belkan actually anyway here we go." Trigger shifted his focus to the mission ahead.__

_"___Hey Trigger you want to give the order?" Robin asked him who thought about it thinking to himself why not.__

_"___Gladly, all hands to battle stations." the sound of the general quarter klaxons blared throughout all the ships.__

__Trigger scanned the area with his HUD as eight blips appeared on his radar. He noted the eight F-4E Phantom 2s knowing despite its age it was a tough and rugged jet. "Understood shit." major concern rang through Wiseman's voice which Trigger quickly figured that things were about to go awry.__

_"___What's up?" Count asked the AWACS who didn't have good news for them.__

_"___Friendly aircraft and EW aircraft will arrive 5 minutes late." Long Caster's news was not good for the squadron.__

__Jeager had a hunch that things were only going to get worse "I guess Trigger's misgivings about this mission being a disaster are coming true hopefully we can turn it around."__

_"___Retreat and wait for backup." Wiseman knew that they need drake and Enchanter squadron to push their number of aircraft to out number the enemy fighters.__

__Howard on the other hand wanted them to get to work since he had been told that the LRSSG were elites "Retreat no authorized. Gain air superiority at once."__

_"___Trigger what now?" Count asked him having no idea just what was going on since things were going wrong.__

__Trigger got a buzzing on his radio and reached over to adjust the frequency to clear the buzzing when he heard something chilling 'I hereby swear that i will be a proud, brave and vigilant solider. to uphold the honour of our nation and its military. to submit to the orders of my superiors.'__

_"___Captain. They're ready for take-off sir. They're prepared to sacrifice their lives to carry out salvation on the city of east coast capital." the command duty officer watched as the Rafale taxied onto the deck.__

_"___Beautiful. Don't you see? A million lives are about to be snuffed out in senseless cruelty." Trigger pushed his eagle into a dive seeing the alicorn in dock but his HUD showed four Rafale M carrier jets preparing for take-off.__

__Trigger felt his instinct tell him that those Rafales had to be destroyed "Fox 3." Trigger called ripple firing his four of the eight AMRAAM at the Rafales which were readying to take off."__

_"___Patch me in There's a possibility the cruise missile is a WMD." David called as the Rafales got airborne.__

__Everyone waited as the four AMRAAMs streaked towards the Rafales who were climbing "Trigger ho...yo...ire" Howard's voice was so faint that Trigger could hear him.__

__Trigger's missiles easily caught up to the sacs planes destroying all 4 jets instantly.__

_"___Salvation." the lead Rafale called as the four airborne Rafales were engulfed in a huge explosion. Trigger had expected a large nuclear explosion that would likely have killed them all from being vaporised but he saw no bright flash or mushroom cloud.__

__Trigger was stunned that the pilots never ejected since he had expected that Erusean pilots to be smart enough to bail out when they had the chance. The second Rafale spun uncontrollably till it crashed into the ground disintegrating into several pieces.__

_"___Seems he was downed by Three strikes just moments after take-off too." the command duty officer noted as the Rafales disappeared from radar.__

_"___That dammed bastard ruined it. The captain said sounding very pissed and Trigger couldn't understand why.__

_"___Captain?" the command duty officer sounded concerned as the two other Rafales hit the water.__

_"___Don't you see? He walked all over it with his dirty boots! Over the crisp, white sheets of my bed that I had just made!" Matias shouted clearly fuming with rage.__

_"___Let's have him assist in the next plan…it'll make a fine sideshow for our scheme to kill a million people. Or was it the plan to save ten million lives, Command Duty Officer?" Matias asked the CDO.__

_"___Trigger do not attack the Alicorn." Long Caster called but Trigger couldn't hear him as he was trying to get back on the Osean frequency.__

_"___Long Caster sp...four nega...WMD...Storm Shadow." Trigger said quickly as his radio cut out.__

_"___Say again Strider 1." Long Caster called but got no response "I've lost radio contact with Strider 1!"__

_"___The lead Rafale wasn't armed with a WMD just a regular Storm Shadow." David who had been listening to Trigger faint radio transmission.__

__Wiseman and Long Caster just looked at each other both coming to the same realisation."Shit Something's wrong."__

_"___Trigger's already kicked off the game." Count throttled up as he charged into the fight.__

_"___We're going in after Trigger." Huxian said as she broke formation engaging one of the Phantom 2s 'Glamrock 4.'__

_"___Strider 3 engaging." Jaeger called turning to help Huxian.__

__The rest of Glamrock squadron scattered as the explosion from the Rafales had thrown their formation all over the place.__

_"___All aircraft, engage, weapons free!" Long Caster called as Trigger's eagle charged ahead at high speed flying over phantoms as Laura who had wheeled around the enemy forces destroying two AA guns with short bursts of laser and cannon fire.__

__Trigger having turned around behind the Phantoms "Normally I'm not one for hunting but I'm declaring open season on F-4 Phantoms." __

__H____e fired his first sidewinder followed by a brief burst of cannon fire destroying Glamrock 8 whose burning wreckage exploded beneath Trigger's eagle.__

_"___Look who we've got here! This plane and I may be past our prime, but we're no pushovers. Yee-haw! Here we go! Cowboys! Surround' im!" Glamrock 5 called but before he could do anything Trigger's Eagle quickly got onto his tail of Glamrock 5.__

__Trigger fired his second sidewinder with some gunfire for good measure. The Phantom exploded shedding debris till it hit the water.__

__Trigger's eye caught the glamrock flight lead off his left wing, he quickly pulled eagle around getting into position for a gun kill. Without any hesitation he pulled the trigger spraying down the glamrock flight lead whose left engine spewed black smoke but Trigger quickly re positioned himself and fire a second burst which destroyed Glamrock 1 "Was fun flying with you guys for one last time-" Glamrock 1 crashed into the water near one of the destroyers.__

_"___That was a fine last flight brother." Glamrock 4 spoke while trying to shake Jaeger and Huxian.__

__Trigger spotted Glamrock 6 and dispatched him with pulse lasers "Gotta love these lasers." he said to himself as he rolled inverted spotting two Phantoms down low 'Glamrock 2 and 3'__

_"___Drones this, Drone that… but flying calculators will never be enough to take down Three Strikes." Glamrock 3 retorted unaware that Trigger was right above them.__

__Trigger dove and rolled towards them selecting pulse lasers but Glamrock 2's RIO spotted him and tried to run so he could get into a position for a Sparrow shot but a quick pulse laser burst dispatched Glamrock 2.__

__Glamrock 3 turned hard right trying to get behind Trigger but unfortunately for Glamrock 3 Trigger's more agile Strike Eagle easily got inside the older phantoms turn and a short stream of pulse lasers sent Glamrock 3 down in flames.__

__Trigger was so focused on the ____two____ Phantoms ahead of him that he didn't see Glamrock 4 slipping in behind him "Got Three Strikes in my sights. Gonna take 'im down for one last moment of glory." Glamrock 4 called but Huxian's first AMRAAM struck his phantom "..____S____ee ya later, cowboys! I'll be wait-"__

_"___You won't be waiting for long." Glamrock 3 called positioning his burning aircraft towards the fleet. The burning phantom flew over the Kite and Nightjar spraying exposed areas of the ship with burning jet fuel then crashed into the water.__

_"___Nice shot Huxian thanks." Count calmly told his teammate.__

_"___Anytime." she replied as Count formed up with her as Trigger broke to find more targets as Glamrock 7 turned towards the Super Viper Zero.__

_"___One F-4 to go kill him." Count watched Jaeger effortlessly get behind Glamrock 7.__

_"___With pleasure." Jaeger fired an AMRAAM which destroyed Glamrock 7 before he could get into range to fire on Serpentina.__

_"___All Phantoms have been excised Long Caster. Downed a few but I was expecting more." Count groaned as he looked for a target but could see no aircraft.__

_"___Shut up do you see Trigger complaining." Huxian said with a scowl as she kept a watch on Count and her surroundings for hostile aircraft.__

_"___Well he doesn't talk much, but fine, here I go." Count said as he spotted four Su-57 Felon jets above them. "Trigger I'm seeing advanced stealth fighters."__

_"___Su-57 Felons highly capable planes. Stay on your toes if you engage them. Long Caster updated everyone's HUD while another operator was trying to restore contact with Trigger to no success.__

__Count pulled hard into the vertical as the four felons broke and Count rolled to pursue Siguard 2 "I don't need no Wiseman to fly!"__

_"___Then prove it Count!" Wiseman responded calling Count's bull.__

_"___Righto!" he said firing a sidewinder that obliterated Sigurd 2 instantly.__

__Laura flew over the destroyed oil facilities dropping four of her eight cluster bombs that destroyed half the aa guns. Trigger quickly caught sight of Sigurd 4 and firing another burst of laser fire followed by 20mm cannon fire "Trigger shot down a felon." Sigurd 4 smashed into rocky hills and exploded.__

_"___Damm you he was the youngest pilot!" Siqurd 1 shouted turning to gun down the Super Viper Zero but Laura spotted Sigurd 1 and pulled vertically and rolled inverted diving as Sigurd 1 flew below her.__

_"___Oh don't worry I got this." she responded getting lead onto Sigurd 1 and let her lasers rip pumping laser after laser into the Felon which couldn't handle the punishment.__

_"___Sigurd 1 eject." Siguard 3 called as the felon dove towards the ground engulfed in flames.__

_"___Curse you Serpentina-" Sigurd 1 dove into a destroy oil facility near the Ailcorn being torn apart on impact.__

_"___Splash one felon." Laura called quickly getting missile lock on Siguard 3 and fired her first AAM-3 which exploded severing the cockpit from the fuselage "Splash two Felon actually." the second part of the Felon crashed into the dirt disintegrating into bits.__

__Trigger tuned to what he thought was the Osean Frequency "Can you hear me? No okay I'll try another frequency."__

_"___Trigger was talking on the enemy frequency." The Brigadier General quickly started thinking of ways to use this against Trigger.__

__Trigger tried tuning his radio again trying to get onto a frequency that Long Caster could hear but got nothing "Damn it."__

_"___What about the international civil frequency shouldn't AWACS be able to pick that one up." Avril suggested knowing that it was his best bet at restoring communication.__

__Trigger continued adjusting the frequency "This was too easy I think we have air superiority right now cause all 12 enemy fighters are all splashed."__

_"___Finally!" Long Caster was happy to hear Trigger's voice.__

_"___Radio has broken am on international civilian frequency." Trigger manoeuvred his jet back towards the fleet.__

_"___Serpentina how many AA guns?" Trigger asked wondering how big the ground ____defences____ were. __

_"_Only 12 AA guns and I've destroyed them all." Serpentina's info left Avril to wonder that the forces they were up against were ____so small in fact too small to defend a powerful submarine like the Alicorn.__

_"___Trigger I couldn't ____help but think 12 aircraft and ____12____ AA gun ____seem woefully inadequate to defend a high value asset does____n't it."__

_"___Yeah I'd have expected serious resistance not eight 50 year plus relics and four stealth fighters."__

_"___So Three…" Howard began but Wiseman pulled the mic away from him.__

_"___Zip it Brigadier didn't you hear him his radio has broken." Wiseman spoke up quick to stop Howard from trying to use this against them.__

_"___You said it feels too easy Trigger well I agree it was too easy. Enchanter Squadron has arrived finally." Long Caster responded sounding relieved that Trigger was speaking again.__

_"___Long time no see Enchanter let's get to work although you might have wasted a trip all enemy fighters are down."__

_"___Trigger good to see you again we can catch up later." Enchanter 1 was quite eager to chat with Trigger given how long it had been since they last saw each other but knew that could wait.__

_"___More bogeys inbound two YF-23A Black Widow 2s and two Mig-31s" one of the Foxhounds quickly turned around as one of the Black Widow 2s made a run for the Puffin but a RIM-66 missile from Flycatcher took down the first Black Widow 2.__

__A radar officer noticed blips approaching form the west. The radar officer quickly worked to id the jets and pass the info onto Long Caster "Four Su-17M4 Fitters approaching they're heading for Serpentina."__

__The Fitters released volleys of Karen and Kerry missiles which flew towards the fleet but the flycatcher manoeuvred itself ahead of the fleet firing its CWIS that destroyed all of the Karen missiles but two of the Kerry struck the CWIS guns knocking them out "CWIS failed."__

__Laura dropped two more cluster munitions on another set of AA guns turning them into scrap metal then her last two on the remaining AA guns "Laura you have bogeys heading for you Huxian, Jaeger go give her a hand." Long Caster called as he noted Trigger heading back towards the fleet.__

_"___Fitters must be a nearby Erusean penal unit being sent on a suicide mission to stop us." ____Avril____ mused as Trigger spotted them closing on his sister.__

_"___Wilco." Cynthia replied altering to intercept the bogeys.__

_"___Gladly family is important after all." Jaeger said knowing how much Laura meant to Trigger.__

_"___You have no idea how right you are." Trigger quietly said to himself.__

_"___Drake Squadron cover Enchanter and help your allies." Long Caster sent the vectors of the enemy jets.__

_"___Wilco." the Drake Squadron pilots replied as they moved to engage the Fitters when two F-5A Freedom Fighters came in but the Flycatcher fired two more SAMs dispatching the Freedom F____ighters easily.__

__Avril carefully scanned the sky looking for anything when eight objects appeared from ____behind the hills "Trigger eight aircraft are coming this way." __

__Trigger looked over his shoulder seeing the eight jets ___"___Multiple aircraft approaching this airspace! They're Harriers. Any moves to attack our fleet must be stopped! Trigger, take out the Harriers!" Long Caster said knowing that harriers were going for the fleet.__

__Trigger spotted the two flights of four grey white Harrier 2s which overflew the destroyed oil facilities "Way ahead of you Long Caster fox 3."__

__Trigger's remaining AMRAAMs descended towards the Harriers destroying half of them instantly "Harrier destroyed! Nice work! Those fighters are after the fleet! Take care of them." Long Caster said after four destroyed Harriers hit the water.__

__The Harriers opened fire launching a volley of Harpoons which destroyed the Flycatcher and Babbler's 5 inch guns and half of the Puffin's VLS launchers.__

_"___Landing ship has been hit." the captain of the flycatcher called as Count fired his first and second ____AMRAAMs____ while Jaeger shot off his second and third ____AMRAAMs ____destroying the harriers before they can fire their 2nd harpoons but the four harrier pilots bailed out.__

_"___Harrier 2s have all been destroyed! Great work!" Long caster said only to see three blips giving off tons of electromagnetic static "Shit detecting hostile barrage jamming! They brought ew aircraft three EA-18G Growlers."__

_"___Enchanter crank up the ESM and fire an ____AMRAAM____." Trigger announced as he spotted the growlers on radar. The ew officer turn the pods up to max power knowing it might burn the pods out as both enchanters fired an ____AMRAAM____ which struck the 2nd YF-23 and lone Foxhound but the pilots ejected.__

_"___Damn it those jets got in the way sorry Trigger." Enchanter 1 called as ESM filled the area but Trigger had already closed with the 1st Growler unleashing pulse laser fire which ripped the Growler to pieces.__

_"___Enemy Growler has been destroyed their jamming should be reduced." Long Caster spoke as a Growler disappeared from his radar.__

__Count pumped several 20mm cannon rounds into the second Growler which despite a reinforced airframe broke up giving the two aboard no chance of escape.__

__Trigger closed on the final Growler putting more laser fire into the ew aircraft which lost its elevators and dove into the water disintegrating on impact.__

_"___All enemy EW aircraft confirmed destroyed!" Long Caster was hoping the enemy would begin to ease but unfortunately for the AWACS controller luck was not on their side today.__

__Avril noticed ____a flight of four Fullback ____off Trigger's right wing "Umm Trigger we have company."__

_"___All aircraft be advised! enemy strike fighters are on approach! their Fullbacks, definitely faster than the ones before!" Long Caster called now getting hungry cause the mission was dragging on.__

_"___Wiseman can I get a snack?" Long Caster asked much to Howard's scowling look.__

_"___Sure Long Caster have a quick snack." Wiseman told him as another AWACS operator took his seat.__

__Count fired his third and fourth ____AMRAAM____ and with enchanter's ESM covering the airspace his missiles couldn't miss and destroyed the 1st and 2nd fullbacks as Huxian fired her second and third ____AMRAAMs____ which gave the same result as Count's attack.__

_"___Three more Fullbacks entered the airspace" Count called spotting them on his HUD but before anyone could engage them, the three Fullbacks were quickly shot down by the Kite and Babbler's SAM battery.__

__The skies seemed clear but Trigger noticed a glimpse on the horizon "I see three strikes." an unknown voice that Trigger could make out as male. Two white nosed black with stripe marking berkuts with white Sorbtsyia ECM pods streaked into the airspace.__

_"___I'll kill you." another voice who Laura could tell was female. She formed up with Trigger and switched to her quick manoeuvre AAM-5s.__

_"___All aircraft two bogeys approaching type are Su-47s" Long Caster having finished his snack spotted them on radar.__

_"___Berkuts? Last I checked Erusea don't have many of those so where are they from?" Laura asked as the female voice came over the radio again.__

_"___Hey Rage can I kill him now, I've waited long enough." she said but Trigger's HUD revealed her TAC name Scream. He quickly looked over his remaining ammo seeing he only had two sidewinders left and 400 rounds of cannon ammo left and his pulse laser batteries were still good.__

_"___Use the confusion to get on his tail." the male called as the HUD told Trigger that the male was called Rage.__

_"___Like a true villain huh? I like the way you think!" Scream fired an AA-10ER Alamo-C that annihilated a Skyhawk that was heading for the osean fleet.__

__Mimic 1 passed by the destroyed Skyhawk which had already broken up "You idiot! I told you to ignore the Eruseans!"__

_"___Don't call me an idiot! I'd kill you if you weren't my brother! She retorted the anger was clear for Trigger and Serpentina to hear as__

__the berkuts pulled a rolling scissors till they were canopy to canopy.__

__The two Berkuts rolled again until they were diagonally positioned and lit the afterburners "There are no more enemy reinforcements they must be hostile cleared to engage don't hesitate." Wiseman told them. __

__Trigger started firing pulse lasers at Rage's Berkut but Scream broke formation as he fired two Alamos however Trigger and Laura broke the Alamo's lock pulling hard g. __

__T____he ageing Strike Eagle groaned under the g-forces.__

__Huxian fired her final ____AMRAAM____ but the HUD glitched out and her missile missed when the blue energy partially disappeared from her radar "We've lost ESM is Enchanter down?" Huxian wanting to why the ESM had disappeared.__

_"___We're still here Strider 4 but two of out ECM pods are non-functional I guess sometimes even Three Strikes's plan don't work out." Enchanter said as Scream came around gunning for Trigger.__

_"___I'll kill you." she said as Trigger and Laura saw multiple berkuts appear on their HUD. Laura got radar lock but the HUD glitched like what happened to Huxian.__

_"___Get em" Rage called observing form a distance as Scream charged on the eagle who pulled into a slicing turn.__

_"___I'm going to screw you up so bad!" She said confidently but a loud shriek in her headset made her look behind her to see Laura on her tail.__

_"___Fat chance lady if you want to get to my brother you have to go through me first." Laura called back determined to protect her brother. She fired her second AAM-3 but Scream deployed her flares.__

_"___They're neither Osean or Erusean they're just filthy bats." Huxian commented who tried to assist but wasn't able to.__

_"___Rage Three Strikes and the Viper Zero are mine I going to make them pay for the sins of 24 years." Scream said with a creepy dose of laughter as her two archers dropped from her forward weapons bay and headed for Trigger who popped flares to decoy the missiles.__

_"___Don't forget the contract Scream kill him." Rage told her as the four Su-17s came into attack but Laura fired her last AAM-5 destroying the lead Fitter-K as the other three came back round firing their gunpods but Rage fired a salvo of his Alamo-C destroying the second and third Fitter-K but the fourth Fitter-K dropped to 100 feet and gunned it for the Puffin but the Nightjar's RIM-66 destroyed the Fitter-K easily.__

__Trigger flew over the port seeing the beached oil tankers knowing that they had to be from the first raid when he saw two rocket truck launchers towing two howitzer each "Strider 1 we're detecting surface to ship weapon teams around the sub destroy them before they can damage the fleet." Long Caster highlighted them on his HUD but the shriek of a missile lock draw his attention back to the Berkuts.__

_"___Damn it I can't focus on protecting that with this bitch on my back." Trigger knew he'd have to come around but Scream was not giving up. Count who had been observing what was going on charged at Scream.__

__The Kite and Nightjar opened up with their 5 inch naval gun obliterating the howitzers as Trigger came around destroying the rocket trucks with laser fire. She fired her 30mm cannon hitting the tail but Trigger kept flying. "Damn it Three Strikes why don't you just die already?"__

__Trigger descended with Scream on his tail as he brought the plane around seeing the open deck of Alicorn quickly devising a plan "Come on Three Strikes you've got a hot chick in front of you." Trigger was more focused on trying to lose Scream.__

__Avril sat up in her seat "What?!" Trigger rolled his eyes at Scream's poor attempt at flirting while his hand was at the throttle and pushed it all the way up.__

__Avril felt the jet starting to accelerate "Trigger what the hell are you doing!?" Avril could hear the F100s powering up as the plane accelerated on the deck near supersonic. The jet passed through the Alicorn's open deck.__

_"___Are those filthy bats still chasing Trigger?" Huxian and Count looked over to see Trigger on the deck with the Berkuts hot on his tail but was slowly pulling away neither seemed to be able to hit him "Better help him out." Trigger eased back the power.__

_"___Avril you okay back there?" he saw a thumbs up breathing a sigh of relief. The Strike Eagle turned around as he spotted Count charging on Scream from on high.__

_"___You're the only man I need Three Strikes." Trigger was not pleased with Scream's attempt at charming him.__

__Avril decided to not even respond but was feeling very pissed at Scream but disturbed that she was openly flirting with a pilot during combat.__

_"___Hey You idiot bitch how about you tangle with me for a bit old friend." Count recognised their flying styles anywhere. Scream broke off from Trigger turning towards Count.__

_"___I'll kill you Count for calling me an idiot." Scream fired again with her 30mm cannon but Count's eagle easily rolled into a turn that caused Scream's cannonfire to pass underneath him.__

_"___Scream stay focused take down Three Strikes!" Rage had been watching Scream but had lost sight of Trigger when he disappeared into the clouds.__

_"___All ground targets have been destroyed." he could only blue on his radar. He quickly checked with the other AWACS operators could only see the blips of the ____B____erkuts.__

_"___That takes away the enemy's surface to ship capabilities. Fine work Trigger." Wiseman was quite impressed by what he'd seen "Now Count needs his ass saving so take down those bats."__

__He looked up seeing Count and Scream in a turning fight. "Hold on Count I'll give you a hand." Trigger pulled up climb quickly getting on Scream's tail but she pulled a cobra followed by a roll flip and was back on Trigger's six.__

__She moved to fire her gun. "Ammunition zero." Scream clenched her fist knowing she had 1 shot left before being ____defenceless.__

__Trigger pushed the Strike Eagle into a descending slice turn as Scream prepared her Alamo-C.__

_"___You're dead." Trigger quickly looked back to see Scream on his six who fired her last Alamo-C but despite the sharp bank the Alamo-C hit the tip of the ____strike ____eagle ____damaging ____its right wing "I hit him damn it he's still flying." __

_"___Damn Three Strikes just die!" ____Scream was growing more angry as Trigger tried to shake her ____but Serpentina was closing in on Scream.__

__Avril watched as Trigger rolled the jet into a slicing climb with Scream in pursuit. "Trigger I see the other Berkut behind us but likely out of ammo so…" a cracking noise caught her attention as the right tip____ broke off striking Scream's jet damaging the hydraulics. Scre____am broke off.__

_"___Sis Tag team attack." Trigger switched to his lasers.__

_"___Okie dokie bro." Laura responded. She and Trigger pulled into the vertical with the sun behind them and opened fire with Trigger and Laura both unleashing a burst of cannon fire but Trigger added some pulse laser fire for good measure.__

_"___They hit me dammit! Those bastards hit me!" Scream shouted as alarms filled her cockpit with Rage coming along side her damaged Berkut with its number 2 engine trailing smoke and leaking hydraulic fluid. The navy vessels fired RIM-66s at the Berkuts but missed.__

_"___Shit Scream we're pulling out We can't fight Three Strikes with damaged planes." Rage called but Trigger fired his third sidewinder at Rage whose left wing took a hit damaging the hydraulic lines.__

__The two Su-47's banked hard right going full afterburner making for the erusean border "Goddammit Three strikes, Serpentina, I will have you both, you will both die."__

_"___You'll burn so fast… you won't have time to piss your pants." Scream scoffed while laughing hysterically as the Berkuts dropped off radar.__

_"___What?!" Count couldn't believe that these were his old squad-mates. "What happened to you two?"__

_"___Am I hearing things?" Jaeger wondered just what the hell was going on and how Count knew them.__

_"___Nah I hear it too." Huxian was just as lost as Jaeger was as to what was going on.__

_"___Hey those filthy bats are on the run." Count wanted to turn and give chase. He knew they'd have to land somewhere before they lost the hydraulics and had to bail out.__

_"___Let them go. Secure air superiority and protect your allies." Howard could see that chasing the two Berkuts was only going to bring more Erusean jets and Count quickly came to the same conclusion.__

__The fleet closed in on the Alicorn as Matias was ordered to scuttle the sub but he had other plans. Armourers loaded shells into the small railguns.__

__Wiseman breathed a sigh of relief "Well done Trigger despite the mechanical problems."__

__Puffin this is Long Caster. Enemy's resistance is gone and we have achieve air superiority." Long Caster could see no other enemy aircraft.__

_"___Puffin copies! Commence capture operation!" Robin pulled a mic "Launch assault LCACs."__

_"___The rest is all yours captain. Now I can finally have my sausage rolls." Long Caster was feeling hungry.__

_"___Is that the kind of food you eat up there?" Robin couldn't help but smile as Long Caster was very nice and seemed to care about his job over eating.__

_"___Of course. Anything other than finger food would get in the way of my duties although Captain there is a nice Italian restaurant near the base that whenever you're in Expo City sometime wanna go."__

_"___Of course Long Caster I'll have dinner with you old friend." she had wanted to have dinner with Long Caster before but a tight schedule had wrecked her plans the last time.__

__Trigger couldn't help but smile as Long Caster was going on a date.__

_"___Took longer than I expected. I'll be leaving now. You take command from here on. Howard seemed pleased with how the operation was going. But he didn't make it to the door when he and Wiseman heard a call come in.__

_"___Trigger should the submarine be moving?" Avril inquired as she watched the Alicorn leave its port.__

__Trigger raised his visor to see the sub moving____ "I got movement on the water the Alicorn is moving."__

_"___Landing ship Puffin to all ships the Alicorn is moving." The puffin launched remaining LCACs it could but unfortunately for the osean fleet it was already too late.__

_"___Fools This boat no longer belongs to the Erusean military." Matias announced unaware that Trigger had given the Erusean frequency to Long Caster and they were listening in.__

__Two small railgun emerged turning to target the Osean fleet "Captain permission to fire."__

_"___Fire." The gunner slammed his fist down the button. The Alicorn's two railguns opened fire which tore through the Puffin as submarine launched missiles obliterated the other ships.__

_"___Alicorn fired on her! with the railguns! The landing ship is on fire! Its gonna sink!" one of the LCACs called as the others started pulling survivors from the water.__

_"___Long Caster we need SAR now!" Trigger shouted as Alicorn sailed past the wrecked ships.__

_"___Damn it Three Strikes there will be hell to pay for this!" Howard was not sounding happy that the mission went from near-success to a total disaster.__

_"___How about I give my assessment when we get back." Trigger wasn't in the mood to deal with the Brigadier General right now since he was more focused on his damaged jet.__

_"___Trigger there is a transmission coming in on the open frequency I think you should hear it."__

_"___Patch it through Long Caster." Trigger waited as the transmission came through.__

_"___This boat has the means to end this hideous war, in a definitive and elegant manner. The world shall be horrified by the number of lives we will take. Only then will they let go of their weapons…Weapons that would have taken the lives of ten million." Everyone was silent as they took in what they had just heard. The submarine slipped beneath the water.__

_"___Captain using nuclear weapons is against international law. If you don't end this insane scheme then we'll have to stop you!" Trigger said as his damaged strike eagle, Strider Squadron and his sister's Super Viper Zero formed up.__

_"___Operation is complete all planes RTB Count Serpentina escort Trigger home!" Wiseman knew Trigger's jet had a damaged wing.__

_"___Long Caster I'm sorry that my ability wasn't enough to save your childhood friend." Trigger slammed his fist against the canopy angry that he couldn't save everyone.__

__The four aircraft and the damaged Strike Eagle left the airspace as IUN SAR Sea Kings, ships and fighter protection entered the airspace.__

**_**Over Expo city**_**

__After a few hours of flying Trigger and Laura overflew the outskirts of Expo city "Scott what the hell did you do to these two pilots?" Laura asked baffled trying to understand what had just happened.__

_"___Search me sis, I have no fucking clue as to why these two Berkut pilots want me and now both of us dead but what did he mean by 24 years ago." Trigger responded as New Arrows controller contacted them asking where Trigger was.__

__Laura could hear the frustration on her brother's voice that told her that Trigger wasn't happy "You know they are going to blame us for this disaster of an operation." Trigger said as Serpentina flew on his wing. She could see that the damaged Eagle was limping home.__

_"___I have to wonder if there isn't a cult onboard the sub. I heard the pilots recite a pledge of allegiance." Trigger felt very disturbed by what he heard making a mental note to ask if its possible a cult could have formed on the ship. Trigger was quiet for the rest of the trip back.__

**_**New arrows air base  
Eastern Usea**_****_  
_**__18:00pm__

__The Strike Eagle touches down using up most of the runway. Trigger taxied the damaged jet back the hanger.__

__Trigger shut the plane down as Avril disconnected her mask and undid her harness. He released the canopy quickly pulling himself from the seat and climbed down to help Avril get out. "I don't need help dumbass! I can do this myself." Avril pulled her helmet off.__

__He reached into rear cockpit lifting her out of the cockpit "Avril need I remind you that you have a leg injury so you need help." he placed down on the steps. Avril instinctively griped the railing.__

__She stepped down the steps "So lets get to the debrief. The pair went to get changed.__

**_**New arrows air base briefing room no.3**_****_  
_**__18:15pm__

__The rest of Strider, Cyclops, Long caster, Wiseman and Howard were waiting for Trigger, Avril and Laura to walk in.__

__Wiseman could tell something was bothering Trigger "The operation has been completed. Stand by for further orders." Howard said but Trigger's anger finally got the better of him. Unbeknownst to them all someone else had joined the call.__

_"___This operation was a complete disaster form start to fucking finish and I've been on Dual Wielder and Lighthouse Keeper but this takes the fucking cake." the other Strider and Cyclops Squadron quickly turned to Trigger surprised to see a flash of anger from their flight lead.__

_"___Scott." Laura was growing concerned at her brother's outburst.__

_"___Sis please shut up this mission should have been easy cause we had more that enough weaponry even with me in a Strike Eagle." Wiseman thought it best to let Trigger vent his anger. "I mean 7 ships is woefully inadequate for such a mission..."__

_"___Whoa Trigger calm down man." Count said trying to tell his flight lead to stop shouting.__

_"___Calm down you expect me to calm down when someone is going to have to tell the families of the sailors lost that their Mum, Dad, Brother or Sister isn't coming home." Trigger said his voice was laced with venom since he knew that he'd failed to get everyone home alive.__

_"___Trigger I'll deal with that. Trigger despite the loss of the ships more sailors managed to survive." Wiseman said wanting to let Trigger not have to deal with that.__

__Howard wanted to say something but Trigger's anger filled gaze sent shivers down him as he felt like he'd angered a wolf. He wondered if this was what the erusean forces felt when he was around fear that they may not live to see another day.__

__"Howard I already anticipate you trying to pass the blame for this disastrous mission onto us at the inevitable inquiry into how this mission went so wrong."__

_"___Hold on we still don't know who those bats were! Why were they after Trigger?" Jaeger noted having seen how the ____B____erkuts were focusing on Trigger only.__

_"___Yeah I want to know to why they were after my brother since they were using osea's radio frequency." Laura felt anger that someone was trying to kill her brother and that someone had their frequency.__

_"___You mean they are on our side?" Skald questioned but none of the others thought that made any sense given what had happened.__

_"___Impossible they didn't respond to our IFF or maybe...they were there to settle a personal score." Howard mused unaware that he had hit the nail on the head "There's nothing unusual about being shot in the back by an ally."__

_"___Guess it might've been the way where we came from but… you know I'm sayin, Trigger." Count commented looking back at his flight lead who was still pissed.__

_"___Yeah I do." Trigger responded looking at Howard with a death glare.__

__Count and other LRSSG members immediately started speculating on what the motives of the two bats were "Maybe they want Trigger dead for what happened to full band and think Trigger did it when I was the one who shot him down but Bandog flagged him as a hostile."__

__Trigger thought about Count's hypothesis but it didn't match up with the time "No Rage said that I and my sister pay for the sins from 24 years ago which means its something that someone else did in the Belkan War that those bats want me and her dead for but what.." __

__"Anyway our aerial forces are to blame for this failure." Howard Clements was expecting the mystery person on the line to agree. But what Wiseman said next ____blind-sided____ him.__

_"___Bullshit Brigadier General the LRSSG are in no way at fault for how the mission turned out." Wiseman knew that Trigger's hunch that Clements would try to shift the blame and he was proven right.__

_"___Oh I know where the blame really lies, it lies with the planning and who planned this op?" Trigger asked but the mystery voice knew who it was.__

_"___It was the Brigadier General." David felt pleased to throw Clements under the bus.__

_"___Howard I wonder how you made Brigadier general when you ignored advice form the experienced air crew especially one whose flown in the navy and told you that it was a bad idea to send the assault fleet before air superiority was achieved." Unbeknownst to Trigger the mystery person listening had heard every word and knew that the air crews shouldn't be blamed.__

_"___Everyone, here's a question." David began cause he's realised something about the mission.__

_"___That's enough. Remove him from the call." Brigadier General didn't want to hear any more of the analyst.__

_"___Wait, wait don't hang up on me yet. How di____d ____they know we had intelligence on their weapons of mass destruction? They never would've taken such actions if they didn't know." David's comment quickly made the LRSSG members ponder where they got the information.__

_"___They have a spy." Trigger looked at Howard remembering that Eagle didn't like him.__

_"___Better to be suspicious than not, I suppose after all you did communicate on enemy radio Trigger." the Brigadier General couldn't help but agree with Trigger that someone was leaking intel.__

_"___Hey don't go accusing me of being a spy when I was trying to get radio communication back stupid Osean tech never reliable when you need it to be." Trigger started towards the door.__

_"___At the very least, we'll have to assume from here on out that they know everything that we do." David knew that their next move would be known but had to find out who was leaking intel.__

_"___I'll take Eagle for a walk and get Trigger something to eat." Laura softly as Eagle growled at Howard. Laura attached the lead to eagle's collar and quietly departed.__

_"___Good idea." Trigger was thinking to himself as the other LRSSG personnel filed out leaving only him, Wiseman, the brigadier general.__

_"___Trigger why did you attack the Alicorn when you were ordered not to?" Clements wanted to know why Trigger fired on the ____A____licorn.__

_"___I know Alicorn was off limits but the Rafales that were taking off weren't and my gut feeling told me they had to be destroyed although the cruise missile wasn't armed with a WMD since I saw no secondary explosion."__

_"___Well that matches up what IUN forces reported while you were flying back, they found no signs of weapons of mass destruction from the downed aircraft." Howard Clements had gotten a call from the IUN teams at the port who had checked the wreckage of the destroyed Rafale.__

_"___Hmm that means the Brigadier General's intel was incorrect." David realised which left him wondering why Clements would give out false intel.__

_"___David call me in my office." Wiseman walked out of the room with the Brigadier General in tow. "Trigger despite being right you were out of line don't do it again you got that?"__

_"___Crystal clear Wiseman." Trigger wasn't happy that he got reprimanded by Wiseman over highlighting the incompetence of his superiors.__

**_**In Wiseman's office**_**

__Lieutenant Colonel Patrick ____Metcaffe____ was sitting in his office with Brigadier general Clements and the Vice Chairman Jason Edwards of the Osean Joint Chiefs and David North on the videophone "So you both heard Trigger's very angry filled assessment of the mission."__

_"___Yeah this mission was a total disaster and if Trigger's expecting an inquiry into this disaster well he's not wrong about that." Edwards____ having watched the battle through the spy satellite in orbit knew mistakes had been made. __

_"___He was very concerned that the higher ups would put most of the blame on the air crew and he's not wrong to think that." Wiseman understood Trigger's concern given that when the mission to rescue Harling went wrong Trigger was the one who got blamed instead of the higher ups who botched the planning.__

_"___I'm already discussing with the higher-ups about looking into the mission to understand what went wrong." Edwards felt that there had to be a deeper look into the planning and execution of the mission.__

_"___Aren't we going to deal with the fact that Three Strikes talked on the enemy radio!" Wiseman had expected Howard to try and use this but Edwards was having none of it.__

_"___That's not important." Edwards respond____ed____ willing to overlook what Trigger did cause he was trying to restore radio communication.__

_"___Why is he still flying that ancient Eagle?" The vice chairman had thought that when Trigger was reassigned to the LRSSG he'd fly a newer F-15 not a junked penal unit jet.__

_"___We didn't see the need to change the aircraft he was flying since he was flying an F-15 when Trigger joined us but now it's come back to bite us also his ancient Eagle was grounded yesterday he was using Strike Eagle today." Wiseman hated that keeping Trigger in his retired Eagle instead of switching to the newer one was now biting him.__

_"___I'll see about getting extra help for you guys." The vice chairman disappeared from the call while David disconnected to try and figure out Torres's motive.__

**_**15 minutes later**_**

__Trigger picked up the videophone "Operator I'd like call the OIA's advanced weapon analyst David North."__

__He waited for the call to connect "Good evening Captain is there something wrong?"__

__"Yes i saw on the news this evening about an OIA drone strike and frankly I'm concerned cause when you have someone form your own country wants you dead i'm not sure if the OIA might try something. so I want assurances from your superiors that no-one in the OIA will try and kill me or any of my family using a drone cause if they do when I'm airborne I'll gladly turn those drones to scrap metal."__

__"Trigger why are you worried that the OIA will try and kill you?" David asked wondering why Trigger would be worried.__

__"Well you know the shady shit the OIA has done its past paints them in a bad light so we'll see you at the next operation." Trigger's tone concerned Wiseman and Avril who had entered the room.__

__"Sir do we have any plans to assassinate Three Strikes?" David asked the head of the OIA who was lost as to why he was being asked.__

__"No not to my knowledge why?" the OIA head sipped his coffee looking at David who sighed trying to think of the words.__

__"Well sir Trigger wants reassurance that we won't try to kill him or his family with a drone strike." David told the man who was taken aback such an idea.__

_"___We won't cause why would we kill someone so vital to saving us all and killing family is something I would never authorise." Trigger felt his worry ease but still couldn't shake his anxiety.__

_"___Well that's reassuring but my trust has to be earned." Trigger hung up leaving David lost at what had just happen.__

_"___Trigger you alright?" Avril asked the pilot rubbing his right shoulder who turned to look at her.__

_"___I'm just a bit doubtful that someone won't try to use a drone to try and take me out." Trigger could understand why the ____E____ruseans wanted him dead cause they were at war but now that his own country wants him dead.__

_"___Trigger you're better than any of those unmanned tin cans." Avril remembered how many he destroyed over ____A____rtigilo "You took on several drones in a junked Phantom mud mover and destroyed 9 of them while in the middle of a sandstorm with me in the ____back-seat.____"__

__Looking up at her, he gave her a close lipped smile. "Thanks."__

__"You can do this. I know you can." She rubbed his shoulder.__

__Both stared at each other until the sound of someone clearing his throat made them snap their heads to the source. Seeing Wiseman smiling, Avril quickly removed her hand from his shoulder and moved back, her face flaring red as Trigger straightened up and looked away, clearing his throat.__

__"So she's your personal massage therapist too, Strider 1?" Wiseman smirked, leaning against the door frame.__

__"N-no, sir." Trigger stammered out, avoiding looking at both Avril and Wiseman in the eyes, becoming suddenly interested in the floor tiles.__

__Meanwhile Avril looked away at the window and lowered her head, her brown face tinged a darker shade of red.__

__"Relax, you two. I was joking. And she's right, Trigger. You've no need to worry. We've all got your back." Wiseman reassured him. 'Especially her.' He glanced at Avril who was now toying around with her fingers. 'I'll tell Count about this... we can definitely have some fun with this…'__

__"Well, I'll leave you two here. Get some rest." Wiseman finally said, standing straight and turning to walk away.__

**_**2 hours later in the hangar**_**

__Trigger slipped into the hanger seeing Avril was sitting in the cockpit. "Hey Scrap Queen I brought you some dinner Long Caster ordered food from the Italian bistro near the base I got some ____T____agliatelle ____M____arinara and ____T____agliatelle ____P____olto which do you want?"__

__Avril licked her lips "Thanks Trigger." he handed her the food. She noted that he had 2 trays. "So is the other tray yours?"__

_"___Yeah its mine and I thought you might want company while you take a break from fixing up my fighter jet."__

_"___Dumbass." Trigger chuckled quietly as Avril tucked in "Oh this is good."__

__Trigger quietly watched as Avril wolfed down her food 'She must have been ravenous but still very cute' he quickly open____ed____ his box tucking into his dinner. You know I might call this our first date."__

_"___Shut up Dumbass this isn't a date." She scowled at him as he swallowed part of his meal.__

__The pair leaned back enjoying their meals neither knowing the worst is yet to come.__


	3. Anchorhead raid

Disclaimer: I don't own ace combat

September 10th 2019  
New Arrows air base  
East Usea  
7:30am

_The Strider and Cyclops squadron gathered in the briefing room as Avril stepped in with Wiseman and the Brigadier general. Clements took his place next to the screen with Wiseman on the other side. David north was already on the line._

"_The Erusean military is gathering its remaining naval forces at Anchorhead bay. Apparently they are even bringing in ships from the mothballed fleet. This is probably to reinforce their naval power in preparation for the showdown in Farbanti. We've received intel that the Alicorn will also be joining them." Howard began._

"_Form which source, there's a possibility the Alicorn's former crew have been tasked with sabotage." David inquired knowing that the brigadier's source was wrong before._

"_North the idea of human sources must be handled with discretion. Your job is to analyse the enemy's weaponry. From now on speak only when authorised. I don't hear a response." Clements didn't like how David was overstepping his bounds._

"_May I be authorised to speak first sir?" if David was in the room he'd given Clements a death glare._

"_When we're done. I'll be talking to your superiors. Here is the mission. LRSSG is to raid Anchorhead. Carry out airstrikes on Anchor bay to the north and Dakiouk bay to the south inflicting all the possible damage. If we can strip the port of its naval functions. We can also prevent the submarine from joining forces." Wiseman could see why they'll be attacking the port since the Ran fleet poses a threat to the osean forces._

_Wiseman glanced at the map "The area around Anchorhead is Erusean territory." _

"_Shit." __Trigger knew just from the map they ran the risk running __in__to the erusean drones. Wiseman __having looked __back __at the map could see what __Trigger was __worried__ about._

"_Is there some __problem__ you have __T__rigger?" __Howard seemed __oblivious__ about what was __making __Trigger __anxious__. _

"_Yes sir." Trigger responded, Laura knew that her brother held anti-uav sentiment._

"_What is it?" Howard couldn't see what was worrying Three Strikes. Avril couldn't believe how stupid Howard was to not see it._

"_Don't you see its too close to the arsenal bird air defence range for my liking and I would expect drones in a place like Anchorhead. God I hate drones especially those blasted MQ-101s or the likely MQ-99s." Trigger's fists were clenched as he remembered all the times he'd deal with drones._

"_Don't you mean the Wasps and Vogel Captain Hansen?" Long Caster interrupted much to Trigger's surprise._

"_Yeah them."__Trigger's lack of subtly__ to everyone about his displeasure at the uavs __was understandable __since anti-UAV __and AI __sentiment was at an all time high among the o__sean military__ personnel but Trigger __hated them the most out of all the LRSSG given he__ had faced the eruseans uavs more times than anyone else on the team. __"__I __just hate them they are one of the biggest mistakes we made."_

_Wiseman sighed knowing that Trigger's hatred of drones was justified "To delay hostile detection you will sortie in small numbers and make your way in at super low altitudes."_

_Jeager didn't think he'd be going on this sortie "Small sortie huh? who's going?"_

"_Count, Lanza, Huxian, Serpentina and Trigger." Wiseman's announcement confirmed what he suspected "Four aircraft from strider squadron and Serpentina will be deployed."_

"_Woah alright I got this." Lanza felt excited that he'd be deploying on such a vital raid._

"_To cover our lack of numbers, we're giving you plenty of opportunities to resupply. Look here." the map showed the ports with three blue lines one in the north, south and east. "We've set up multiple return lines. Make full use of them to resupply and change armaments. Also note that the enemy will not be able to mount a defence immediately after detecting you. Use this window to destroy high threat targets. That should make things easier for you." _

"_I don't why but I'm getting the feeling of deja vu with this raid." Trigger felt like he's done this before but couldn't place when or where._

_The members of the LRSSG drifted into thought about how they'd destroy the ships but Avril decided to speak up "I let you guys know we modified your eagles to have the same capabilities that Trigger's bird already had." Avril and the team had spent the two days after sighthound modifying the LR__SSG__ eagles to do ground attack._

_Howard didn't like the idea of modifying the__ LRSSG'__s aircraft cause to him they should be do the job despite the equipment lacking the ability to do the op._

"_Thank you Scrap Queen I knew I could trust you." Avril leaned back into her chair feeling pleased with herself. _

_Wiseman looked her way smiling but Howard wanted to continue the briefing. "It should also raise the survival rate."_

"_Survival rate huh?" Count mused wondering what he meant by that._

"_The element of surprise and resupplying are the key. Beyond that. I just need a couple of pilots who will stick to my orders. We don't need an ace to succeed, you got anything to say?" no-one spoke up "Good."_

"_Oh its so clear you do. I solved one problem that your ace strike team had and we have the person who erusea fears more than anyone." Howard scowled making a mental note to have a word with Avril's superiors and to have her silenced._

"_On Tyler a few days before I was called here we captured an __E__rusean solider who told me an interesting rumour." everyone turned to her "__In __the Erusean military __Three __S__trikes in the sky is a sign of an ill omen." _

"_Brigadier general." David began wanting to give the __LRSSG__ info on the captain of the Alicorn._

"_That is all." Howard planned to end the briefing but Wiseman had other ideas._

"_David go on." he told him knowing that what David had to share was important._

"_Let me share the career of Matias Torres, the captain of the submarine Alicorn, does anyone know how his people hailed him?" David had slipped back into his quiz show persona._

"_A bit unfair to provide us with next to no hints, don't ya think?" Skald questioned not liking this quiz one bit._

"_Fair enough. The hero of Comberth harbour is the answer. He was the captain of the battleship tanager at the time of the 1st continental war, it led the Aegir fleet the so called invincible armada. But when the fleet was destroyed at Comberth harbour, so was his ship." The military record of Matias Torres flashed on screen._

"_Yet he's the hero?" Skald asked the analyst._

"_He was able to bring most of his crew home with accurate damage control and precise evacuation orders. Then there is the accident with the Alicorn, many believe that if they stay with him, they'll live." Count turned to look at Trigger who rolled his eyes._

_"You know that don't ya Trigger, i mean stick with Trigger and you'll make it." Count said with a light chuckle. _

"_Transfer from surface to underwater is unusual. However considering his skill and reputation, along with the fact that the Alicorn is no ordinary submarine, it all makes sense." David commented when Wiseman took over. _

"_It will be a difficult mission to carry out with five aircraft, still I'd like to add one more to the mission conditions." Wiseman could see that Trigger wasn't going to like what he said next._

"_What you want to make it even harder?" Count asked not liking what Wiseman was going to say next._

"_I want a 100% survival rate for the sortie. Any other number will be considered a failure!" Trigger groaned getting up from his seat._

"_Goddammit Wiseman now I have more to worry about than just the ships, AA defences and air defence fighters and now getting everyone home alive. I have a hunch those filthy bats will be showing up." Trigger sometimes hated the fact that I'm the one who has to get everyone home alive._

**New arrows**_** hanger no.2**  
__8:45am_

_Trigger, Avril and Laura walked into the hanger "So Trigger what do you need?" the ground crews were loading up the eagles with their standard load out plus two mark 84 munitions._

"_Well first I need to know what jet I'll be taking on this mission." they stopped in front a jet._

"_Well since your eagle is still grounded you'll be taking this." Trigger turned his attention from Avril to the __two seater __two tone marine blue Super V__iper Zero._

"_I'll need my pulse lasers and __four__ ASM-2 anti-ship missiles and ASM-3 cruise missiles." Trigger told her as ground crews went to go and get the ordinance._

_He turned to his sister ″So you said this viper zero belong to captain Naomi?″ Avril didn't know who this Naomi was.  
_

_"Naomi use to fly out from here with the super kai upgrade program flight testing till 6 months ago when she took the job as a test pilot for the ASF-X Shinden 2 project and as a thank you to the guys here for looking after her plane she gave it to them as a reserve aircraft if one of the __LRSSG__ became unserviceable.″ Laura explained as they went to get suited up._

_Wiseman stepped aboard the E-767 while Howard elected to remain at the base._

_**Over the ocean  
**__13:00pm_

_T__he five jets __flew towards __A__nchorhead __when__ Trigger noticed a small erusean fleet ahead miles away "Long caster gonna sink those ships before they can raise the alarm." Trigger and Laura locked up __the ships__ fired their ASM-2s one after the other. __All __four__ of Trigger's ASM-2s hit the Dystomia __while__ Laura's __two __ASM-2s tore into the Metis sending both to the bottom._

"_Trigger just sunk a battleship." Count commented but Trigger sighed rolling his eyes._

"_A battlecruiser actually Count __battleships are much bigger __and more heavily armed__ than a battlecruiser__. __I've seen a Montan__a__ class __battleship and let me say its more intimidating than that battlecruiser__" __Trigger had seen a battleship at the __O__ured __maritime__ museum when he was younger._

"_Trigger good call." Wiseman said as Trigger and Laura started back to resupply. "Strider hold position while Strider 1 and Serpentina resupply?" _

_**An hour later**_

__T__he two Super Viper Zeros and three Eagles approached Anchorhead with the port in sight "I can almost touch the water." Count commented seeing the spray being kicked up by their engines. "Hey guys wanna a contest of Kill scores?" Long Caster you keep score."__

_"___I'm in." Lanza sounded quite eager to play this game."__

_"___I'm game." Huxian liked the sound of that although she already bet that Trigger would get most of them.__

__Huxian could see ahead of her that Trigger and his sister were lower than them at what she thought was 50 feet.__

__"Altitude restriction lifted, begin op and let mayhem begin." Wiseman said knowing that where Three Strikes goes destruction tends to follow.__

__"The food at this party's served buffet style. pick whatever dish you like before the host mounts a resistance!" Long caster told the five pilots but Trigger carefully scanned his HUD seeing multiple ships in port. Avril quietly chuckled at the food joke.__

__"Wilco I'll eat their hearts out!" Huxain said turning towards the destroyer Emounia. Trigger couldn't help but be a little disturbed by Huxian's response but brushed it aside.__

_"___Emergency five bogeys eta two minutes." Fiona smashed her fist onto the buttons and alarms and air raid sirens sounded. "General quarters, general quarters all hands man your battle-stations.__

__"Sorry boss but the juicy targets are all mine." Count responded as Trigger selected his first meal of the day.__

_"___Oh are they Captain Count well then let the chaos begin." Trigger mused over the radio as his finger pressed the fire button on his yoke.__

_"___I think for breakfast I'll take two aegis waitress." An ASM-3 dropped from Trigger's jet, the motor ignited when suddenly the missile nosed up skimming the surface of the sea with the 2nd not far behind.__

_"___And what will your drink be sir?" Avril giggled to herself as she watched the ASM-3 streaked across the water followed by the ____second____ ASM-3 striking the aegis ships Thalassa and Ceto splitting them in half "No drink please my breakfast has just arrived."__

_"Whoa Trigger! don't you dare get the juicy stuff before I do." Count was caught completely by surprise that Trigger sank 2 ships so quickly._

"_They're hitting us with long-ranged missiles! we can't return fire!" one of the man about the Ceto cried out as he fell into the water._

_The two Aegis vessels quickly sank into the harbour._

_Trigger streaked into the harbour pulling into a climbing turn as he looked at what was there. "Brigadier General Clements, about Three strikes... Are you sure we'll get a positive result this time!"_

_"Yes Lieutenant General Shepard. Operation Dominoes is going as planned." Trigger wondered to himself just what they meant by that. _

_Count observed Trigger's pass over the harbour expecting him to use his cluster bombs on the ships but he didn't "What are you doing Trigger? Give' em all the special weaponry you got don't be shy!" Count dropped __the first __of his __unguided__ munitions on the Aphaia causing severe damage._

"_Erusean destroyer Aphaia sunk. Gobble up all the high value targets! forget about your manners!" Long Caster was imaging a buffet but was sad that he wasn't able to eat at it._

_"Never had any of those to begin with!" Huxian said as she spotted the destroyer Emounia starting to move letting her iron bomb fall which destroyed the ship._

"_Why has the enemy taken so little damage? You could drop a bomb blind and hit something." Howard expected Trigger to start bombing immediately but instead he rolled inverted diving down then pulled out at 50 feet._

"_Scott must have done a quick recon of the port and is devising his attack plans my brother can methodical sometimes." Laura mused as Wiseman already knew what Trigger was up to._

_Serpentina fired off __her third__ ASM-2 at the onshore aegis and its cwis which rendered the eight aa guns around the burning aegis __ashore__ completely useless. _

"_AA defense system was destroyed before it could activated! This will make things easier." Long Caster noted as Laura turned around to go and change her weapons._

_"Should have brought my air to ground missiles." Count groaned hating having aim his bomb which was difficult since he'd never had to do it before._

_"You can't carry air to ground missiles on an Eagle Count oh wait you can just need a target designator." Avril commented as Trigger noticed a cruiser near his sister._

"_Should've bought anti-ship missiles by the truckload." Lanza groaned as he made his way to the south port._

_"A bomb would work fine. you'll wipe them out with one hit. Huxian had seen the mark 84 one shot the destroyer easily._

_Laura had turned around to rearm but spotted a ship trying to escape the port which fired off a SAM but Laura easily decoyed it with chaff._

_She launched both of her GCS-1 munitions that glided down to the remaining Slava class cruiser impacting the hull blowing a large hole in the hull "Missile cruiser Tetis has been sunk."_

"_Its the enemy's guided bombs. This is pretty one sided." one of the erusean aa gunners watched the ship beginning to sink._

_"Mayday mayday this is __gr__ marine cruiser __T__eti__s__ we've been hit __by guided __munitions__ and abandoning ship."_

_"Sis what the hell that wasn't an erusean ship shit!" Trigger and everyone else was caught of guard that a general resources ship was there._

"_What the hell if Trigger doesn't botch up its his sister I guess it runs in the family." __Howard groaned as __Laura punched it for the resupply line._

"_They fired surface to air missiles at me." Laura didn't want to be sent to a penal unit._

_Long caster who watched what happened "Confirmed there was a missile launch from the ship at Serpentina Brigadier general." Laura turned towards the bay selecting her ASM-2s._

_Trigger having come around descended till he was Twenty-five feet from the water, he could hear the GPWS ringing but ignored it as his jet flew under the bridge. "Trigger you're crazy." Avril looked up to see the underside of the bridge pass over the canopy and inches from the tail._

_He and Serpentina quickly eyed one of the cruisers the Enyo. _

_Serpentina locked onto the Enyo's vls and fired her remaining asm-2s which destroyed the launchers "They're trying to destroy the fleet with anti-ship missiles." the Enyo's captain when he spotted another viper zero closing fast. "All hands abandon ship Three Strikes is heading our way._

_He pulled up climbing quickly "Bombs away." his first cluster bomb left the viper zero striking the cruiser Enyo then came around to put a burst of laser fire it to the ship sinking it instantly. _

"_They're using laser weaponry!" Flora ducked under her desk as Trigger came by shattering the glass._

_Trigger scanned the sky looking for more targets when a radio call came in. __"__T__his is Ma__j__or __Joseph __A__rcher__ request__ing__ air strike on the helicopter__s__ carrying our targets! Targets are rear vice admiral Samuel __P__rin, __C__aptain __D__irk __T__arnat, fleet commander __G__leb __A__imazov, __C__aptain __A__lonso __T__arrago and __V__ice __C__ommander __T__am __V__an __L__y sending co-ordinates!"_

_Trigger __spotted five __E__rusean nav__y__ transport __helicopters__. "Wilco __T__ucker Zero-Four will assist."__Trigger__ pulled a sharp turn dropping h__is __second __and __third __cluster b__ombs__ on the five helicopters the raining __munitions__ destroy__ing__ all __five__ helicopters which erupted into a raging inferno leaving no chance for survivors._

_"That was a UGB but it was really accurate." Flora who had pulled herself up from under her desk could only watch in horror as the ospreys burned._

"_Targets confirmed down all five in one air strike good shooting Three strikes." Joseph watched as the osprey continued burning. Joseph and his men were sure none of their targets could have survived._

"_So how does these men's deaths help our efforts?" __Trigger asked the Major. _

_"With rear admiral Samuel Prin gone. Erusea's naval strategy will lose its edge, the loss of __Captains __Dirk Tarnat and Alonso Tarrago __means__ the Cruiser Enyo and Aegis vessel Thalassa will not bother anyone. with the death of fleet commander __Gelb__ Almazov it will take a long time to rebuild the fleet without him. in a decade vice commander of the 7th destroyer squadron __T__am __V__an __L__y will be in charge of the __Erusean__ navy well would have been actually."_

"_Lanza has the southern port all to himself. I don't think he can do it all alone." Huxian called sounding concerned about her teammate. _

"_Trigger let's go." Count called altering course but as Trigger began to turn he quickly dropped his fourth cluster bomb on the cruiser Eirene which capsized. _

"_Cruiser Eirene has listed beyond the point of recovery." the crew of the Eirene jumped into the water which was covered in oil from the destroyed ships. _

_"That's a lot of ships lost we're going to make a fortune once the war is over." one of the docksman said as the Eirene slipped beneath the water._

_"Buy stock in salvage companies while you can." another docksman ducking as Laura re-entered the airspace armed for air to air. Trigger quietly mused to himself to do that once they got back._

"_Just merciless." Lanza commented which give Laura a good idea what she had missed while on her way back._

_"Don't you think you're going a bit too hard Trigger?" Count was amazed that in only four cluster bomb drops Trigger had destroyed four ships already._

_Lanza who had seen the explosions from the southern ports "Trigger's turned the shipyard into a scrapyard!" he couldn't help but feel impressed that Trigger had done all that in an unfamiliar aircraft._

"_I'd call it a __shi__p graveyard actually!" __Count commented as he watched __Trigger __bring the jet around going near mach 1._

_Trigger raced to Dakiouk bay spotting the destroyer Calypso and quickly dropped his fifth cluster bomb on the Dakiouk aegis ashore followed by the sixth on the destroyer Calypso. _

_"Lieutenant general Shepard, we have a status report 50% of the enemy forces have been neutralized. That's mostly the work of three strikes." Howard hated to admit it but Trigger was taking names and dishing out destruction._

_"You suggested an operation that doesn't rely on our ace pilots, you won't have many on board unless you can convince them we don't need Three Strikes." Shepard could tell just from the general that they were going to need some swaying if Howard wanted to convince them._

_"Yes sir." He knew that he could only watch what was going on._

"_That aircraft evaded all that anti-air fire you've got to be kidding me!" The erusean aa gunners could only watch as their shots missed Three Strikes._

_Trigger__ quickly spotted two container ships and charged towards them "__Not today you piece of scrap!" Trigger without any hesitating__ releas__ed__ his __seventh__ and __eighth __cluster bomb onto the cargo ships destroying the crates._

"_Trigger pull up!" Avril cried out as Trigger looked up to see a crane in his path._

_He__ pulled back hard just clearing it "Phew __thanks for warning me__." __The __S__crap __Q__ueen breathed a sigh of relief that she'd prevent__ed__ Trigger's target fixation form nearly killing them both._

_Trigger brought the Super Viper Zero round again then popped his airbrakes whilst firing a burst of pulse laser fire that tore the tail rotor off the first Apache which spiralled into the other three and exploded turning the four helicopters into scrap metal. _

_"__C__ame in for a picnic, found ourselves in a marathon." __Lanza dropped his __first __unguided __munition on the cruiser Eris. Lanza watched Trigger turn around heading for the return line so he could resupply._

"_Good cruiser Eris has been sunk! Nice work Lanza!" Long caster liked that everyone was pulling their weight but having seen that Trigger had gobbled up most of the juicy targets._

_"I thought you said this was going to be a walk in the park?" Count had expected the mission would be easy as he dropped his second unguided munition on a group of air defence tanks._

_"You take walks to well walk. but a picnic you got to eat!" Long caster jumped in but Count groaned._

"_I already know which you prefer my friend." _

_Trigger was passing the hill "Trigger movement on the hill." Avril called out as Trigger's gaze turned to scan the hill._

_An advanced SAM battery crew Glasir-2 was watching from the hill as explosions came from the port "Target enemy aircraft Fire all missiles." the crewman inside pressed the button sending a volley of hawk missiles towards Trigger who popped his chaff and came around seeing the battery._

"_Shit he saw us everyone out!" the men inside ran for their lives as Trigger fired a burst of lasers and cannon fire then climbed away._

_Trigger spotted the four remaining Apaches firing his AAM-3s which destroyed two of the four Apaches which collided with the other two. "Our Helicopters are all gone! So this is what the Snowbirds can do."_

"_So time to rearm see you shortly." Trigger added some pair and began his egress._

_"This is Shepard seems Three Strikes is showing a stellar performance. Osea has much need of him. That is the unanimous conclusion of those in this room Brigadier General. certainly not the result I'd predicted."_

_Trigger was happy that the higher ups realised that they had much need of him but why they had to watch this raid to prove that still eluded him._

"_Did they expect anything less from Three Strikes I mean give __him the right tools and he'll break anything." Avril __chuckled__ but Trigger scowled knowing she was right._

"_Good we've reduced enough of the enemy forces. Job well done." Wiseman seeing clear skies at least for the moment any way as Long caster's gaze was drawn to four jets closing fast._

_"Four __MIG-31s__ approaching! they're fast, these guys are interceptors! bearing 310 altitude 2000!" Long caster called as the foxhounds entered the combat zone. The foxhounds appeared on the HUD as hostile. Count and the other Strider pilots were at a loss on how to beat these jets._

"_Look for the three strikes on the tail pass it on!." Hirotti 4 could see the destruction in the ports "This is Hrotti. we'll buy time till until our rear catches up!" _

_One of the port controllers watched the jets coming in expected to see long range missiles flying but didn't see any "Stay back you're not equipped for air to air!" _

_"We've still got our cannons! Engaging!" Hirotti 1 added power as the others followed._

_"The MIG-31s not firing any missiles." Count said having seen the belly and wings of the foxhounds as they flew by. He turned onto the foxhound six but they were faster than his eagle. The four Hirotti Foxhounds broke formation when Hirotti 3 pulled a 180._

_"Must have scrambled without changing weaponry." Long caster commented knowing that was the only logical explanation for what Count had seen. _

"_Shame Three Strikes had to resupply since he'd know its weakness." Laura having seen the foxhounds on radar and had faced her brother in a mock dogfight years ago when he was flying the foxhound and already knew what to do._

"_Just how does Trigger know the drawback of the foxhounds?" Count asked Laura who rolled her eyes but wasn't surprised since Count clearly hadn't been told. _

"_Duh Trigger flew Foxhounds for 2 years and has the most hours on the interceptor when compared to the other planes he's flown in his career so far." Laura fired a burst of pulse laser fire at hirotti 4 who never saw the lasers coming which exploded the right engine but the pilot and the wso bailed out as the foxhound broke up in mid air. "Splash one Foxhound."_

"_So Boss got any tips on how to beat __MIG-31s__?" Count asked eagerly hoping Trigger had some good advice and wouldn't leave him out to dry._

"_Well your planes are more manoeuvrable than the foxhound use that to your advantage!" Trigger noticed that one of the foxhounds Hirotti 3 had turned around and was trying to flee but Trigger easily caught up to him "Hirotti 3 you are charged with cowardice in the face of the enemy sentence is death!"_

_Trigger easily lined up the shot and unleashed both laser and cannon which hits Hirotti 3 who crashes into a hill but Trigger couldn't see any ejection. "What a coward!"_

_Huxian was hot on Hirotti 1 who was pulling a near 5g turn but Huxian's eagle was easily keeping up. "Fox three!" she called shooting an AMRAAM at the foxhound which went up its tailpipe and destroyed the back end of the airplane but the 2 crew bailed out._

_Trigger crossed the return making his way to the nearest friendly base. After landing ground crew raced to remove the racks for the cluster munitions and install the AAM-4s and quick manoeuvre AAM-5 and AAM-3 along with an external fuel tank._

_As soon as Trigger had taken off Laura touched down and changed her weapons to quick manoeuvre AAM-5 and the hyper velocity sparrows. _

_The two vipers were airborne within minutes but both felt that there were more to come._

_**Back at Anchorhead**_

_The two viper zeroes were seconds from entering the airspace when Long caster came over the radio "Bandits coming from the northwest! they're in large numbers! eight Su-37 Terminators declared hostile!"_

"_Terminators aren't they what ultra flankers?" Avril questioned having never seen one before when she noticed them at their 10o clock position._

"_Think of the old flanker-b but on steroids and that's a terminator." Trigger quickly turned into the terminators selecting his lasers. _

_Flora reached for her radio looking at her radar "Five fighters have incoming at super low altitude bearing 015! we have a report three strikes is among them. We have no further intel. Sorry, we couldn't protect the port." _

"_Roger that. Leave the rest to us! Ask squadron, Egil squadron cleared to engage! Hirotti brought us time don't waste it!" Egil 1 scanned the sky. The Su-37s broke formation into groups of 2._

_Trigger quickly got on Egil 3's six and started firing his lasers which tore the right tail of the yuke built jet sending it into a flat spin as the pilot punched out. _

_Lanza meanwhile hot on the heels of Hirotti 2 but was having trouble getting a shot. "Foxhounds are annoying to fight." Trigger could feel for Lanza since the foxhound was not easy to dogfight with or against. _

_The two jets approached the hills but Lanza quickly dropped his second unguided munition taking out a group of aa guns._

_Lanza's sidewinder growled in his ears. He pressed the button firing two. The first one was decoyed by flares but the second one set both engines alight and the foxhound crashed into the hill scattering into little bits._

_Count dropped his last __unguided __munition onto container unaware that the contents were already airborne. "All Foxhounds have been splashed." __Long Caster reported as hirotti 2 disappeared from Count's radar._

_"__Y__ou can't stop us with just __cannons__." __Count scoffed laughing slightly but Huxian hated that laugh._

_Flora leaned against the wall, the world was crashing down around her as a call from HQ came in "Five aircraft destroyed the entire port? You must be hallucinating!" the commander said as the port controller was just wanting this nightmare to end._

_"Its not a hallucination! its a nightmare!" Flora screamed sounding very distressed "This was my first day on the job." She slipped out the door._

_Unbeknownst to her the entire call was on an open channel and Trigger had heard every single word. he felt a pang of guilt that just his presence had caused this much distress. "Wiseman, Long caster, Laura is this what my presence does to people?" _

_Wiseman, Long caster and Laura didn't know what to say. They were all shocked that Trigger's presence had done this._

"_We'll discuss that later Trigger right carry on with the op!"_

"_Wilco!" Trigger didn't want to believe that this was what he could do but thought maybe he should consider peaceful retirement after this war._

_Trigger didn't have long to contemplate as Long Caster's voice came in "New hostile group on radar eight F-15J eagles cleared to engage."_

"_Nor, Gram squadron cleared to engage!" the F-15Js broke to engage the osean jets._

_**Miles away **__**from the port**_

_The Alicorn was positioned 750 miles from Anchorhead with its 600m rail cannon ready to fire. Matias stepped onto the bridge as one of the crew radioed "Marker drone has reached the target!"_

"_Captain we're starting the guided fire artillery drill!" the command duty officer called over the intercom as Torres took his seat._

"_Command duty officer...what do you think would turn a drill into a real war? You don't see it do you? it's imagination! So use your imagination my fellow submariners! A single shell will save ten million lives!_

"_Begin drill! Ready for anti-air combat!" The cdo order as a shell was loaded into the cannon loader._

"_Valkyrie, this is Quarkman. Packaged eggs are ready and waiting, count two. Torres smiled evilly at the news that he had two neutron bombs waiting for him. _

"_Two worth a million lives each… He said but Quarkman has something else to share._

"_Also there is a rumour going round in the military. Three Strikes in the sky is a sign of an ill omen." __His tone should __grave__ but Torres just scoffed getting up from his seat.__"__He may end up throwing a wrench into our plans __but__ I have no doubt the plan to save ten million lives will lead Erusea to true victory."_

"_Stop thinking so small it's salvation on a far grander scale." Matias felt his temper rising._

_The cdo who had seemed lost on what had just been said. "Three strikes… he lacks the drive. Imagine you're just about to be killed. Why am I about to be killed, you ask. Because they wanted to steal from you, to torment you, to burn you, to cut you apart. It was for your sins, your actions, and your vengeance! There has to be a reason! Three strikes has none of that. I do." _

_T__he command duty officer quietly watched as Torres walked over to the fire control panel.__His gaze turned to the cdo who felt __nervous__"__Don't you see, command duty officer? You don't do you? Commence fire."_

_**Back at Anchorhead **_

_Long caster was watching the radar seeing that the number of enemy forces were dwindling. He knew the fight would be over soon when a UAV appeared on his radar "Additional uav on radar!"_

_Huxian and Trigger both felt uneasy since the Erusean military was capable of sending more than just a lone drone "Warning incoming high speed projectile!" Huxian was preparing for an easy kill on Egil 2 when an unexpected voice burst over the frequency. _

"_Its terminal guidance get away from the UAV!" David shouted frantically Huxian fired her AMRAAM taking out Egil 2 then banked hard trying to put some distance between her and the UAV._

_The __AMRAAM__ obliterated the Su-37 but the pilot didn't eject._

"_Contact imminent" Long caster could only watch as the drone blip disappeared from his scope The explosion rocked her eagle and shrapnel pierced her number 1 engine which spewed fire. But Ask 1 and 2 who were tailing Huxian were caught in the blast and destroyed._

_"Ahh" Her head hit the back of her seat "Shit I'm hit." Huxian radioed as she shut down her left engine. Alarms rattled through the cockpit. _

"_More on the way!" Long caster's radar showed more uavs coming in._

"_What in the world…." Huxian had already started towards the return line._

"_Fire incoming! Distance 50,000! its altering its heading!" Long Caster could watch in horror as it closed on Trigger's position._

"…_.Trigger get away from it." Huxian cried out but Trigger already had a plan in his mind ready._

"_Trigger you better have a plan!?" Avril cried frantically knowing this might be it for her. She wasn't ready to die yet._

"_Distance 30,000! Contact imminent!" Long Caster called as Trigger put his plan into motion. He pulled hard right peeling off the centreline tank as the drone was engulfed in an explosion which consumed the drop tank. Trigger nosed down dropping to 1500 feet. The shockwave threw the __Super Viper Zero__ onto its side but Trigger kept it form rolling too far._

_Count watched the explosion consume Egil 1, Garm 1 and 4 along with Nor 1 and 3._

"_Friendly lost where are the shells coming from?" Garm 3 called as he saw Garm 1 and 4 spiral down in flames._

"_Call off the anti-air bombardment!" Egil 4 called out unaware that the Eruseans weren't the ones firing._

"_Friendlies__ are getting caught in the blast." Nor 4 __cried as he __formed up with Nor 2._

"_I'm gonna close on Three Strikes nor 2 stay with me." Nor 4 called over his radio as Trigger pulled into the vertical then half looped followed by a dive and another half loop "How does a manned aircraft fly like that."_

"_Trigger, __Avril__ you hanging in there?" __Count __asked __as Avril groaned knowing it was pointless to keep quiet now._

_Trigger quickly rolled his jet onto Nor 4 and filled his jet with laser shots. "__If its my time, all the more honourable at the hands of Three Strikes." the F-15J broke up and disappeared into the clouds._

_Nor 2 broke hard but the viper zero easily caught up and Trigger pump his lasers into his eagle but Nor 2 punched out. Trigger knew he was likely not going to survive._

"_Damm Count you idiot you blew my cover." Trigger rolled over diving for the deck firing his laser on Ask 3 who punched out as the terminator crashed into the docks._

"_Just fine Count my plan worked!" he responded know fuel would now be his biggest concern in a little while. "Huxian RTB that's an order." Trigger knew Huxian needed to get out of the fight._

_"Picture it! Salvation, the death of a million is a necessity!" Torres called with a slight evil laugh confirming what Trigger already knew that Torres was insane._

"_They are shooting from beyond the horizon. That's why they need the UAV for terminal guidance!" David's tone was grim._

_Wiseman knew Huxian was in no fit state to continue fighting "Huxian head back I want that 100% survival rate!"_

"_Dammit, you're telling me to leave my teammates behind?" Huxian didn't want to leave her teammates behind when there were still enemy fighters in the airspace._

_Huxian hated the fact that she was having to retreat cause she wanted to stay and fight."Roger that. I'm pulling out!"_

"_Lanza escort her to the Usean & Erusean border then tank and get back here." Trigger ordered._

"_Wilco boss." Lanza responded forming up with Huxian._

"_Three Strikes is performing well above our expectations…" Howard sounded not happy at all that the generals were impressed by Trigger but one of the generals wasn't happy. _

_Ask 4 was hot on the heels of a UAV when it barrel rolled and pulled a kubit and fired "Damm it I hate dro-" Ask 4 exploded in mid-air. During all this Trigger had slipped onto the drone's tail and torn it to bits with his lasers._

_A loud bang reverberated through the air "__Projectile guidance terminated! __Shell exploded in __the distance__. __Must be a fail safe. __All aircraft follow Trigger's example if you can!" Long caster and the other AWACS crew worked to track the shells._

"_Bingo looks like our ace found the key to stopping this bombardment." __Lanza knew in his heart that he would get out of this alive if Trigger was with them._

_Egil 4 was on the deck at near mach 1 with a UAV hot on his heels but Egil 3 closed quickly and fired his adders but the drone outmanoeuvred adders then unloaded its missiles into Egil 4 who crashed into the water._

_Eqil 3 started climbing when a missile struck his plane's right engine. He looked over to see Count behind him firing his 20mm cannon which cut into the terminator's airframe. Egil 3 bugged out as his jet broke into two and crashed into the ground._

_Gram 2 and Gram 3 formed up intending to retreat "Garm 2 look out!" Garm 3 spotted something but it was too late." the SLAV collided with the F-15J and exploded tearing Garm 2's eagle apart._

_Count jumped on Garm 3's distraction firing a missile that stuck the belly turning the eagle into a fireball "And there goes the last Erusean fighter so Long caster who won?"_

"_And the pilot with the most kills is Trigger." Trigger couldn't resist wanting to gloat._

"_As if there was any doubt." Trigger snickered as Count groaned seeing something he should have seen when Trigger and he first met._

"_Damm it Trigger you are way out of my league." Count brought his around forming up with the viper zeroes._

_Wiseman came back over the frequency "Well done! we've managed to hit the Erusean navy's fleet and command structure pretty hard."_

_Lanza let out a light cackle "That was definitely a free lunch if there ever was one!" _

"_Mission complete Return to Base! Withdraw from the operation airspace You completed the mission, but its not done until you return home." _

_Long Caster scanned his radar when two blips entered his radar "Warning two bogeys inbound bearing 090..."_

"_W__e tried to be heroes too we really tried!" __a female voice that all __except __Count__ recognised from six days earlier._

"_Two Su-47 Berkuts its those bats again declared hostile cleared to engage." Long caster updated the strider squadron's huds with the Berkuts._

"_Lanza missile break!" Count spotted a missile heading for Lanza._

_A triangular missile streaked towards Lanza __who__ heard the missile alert and banked hard but the missile struck the eagle's right elevator as Trigger, Serpentina __streaked by w__ith__ Count but Trigger knew Lanza would need cover to get out of the airspace "__Lanza." _

_L__ong Caster's radio call sent Trigger immediately into action __"__Strider 3 is hit!" _

_T__he two Berkut__s__ came into radar range __"__Good now we have less goons to deal with! Do it Scream!"_

"_Woo-hoo!" Scream cheered as t__he two Su-47s of Mimic squadron entered the airspace as Trigger and __Serpentina__ turned to engage the Mimics. _

"_It's those dammed bats just like you suspected Trigger!" Count hated the fact that Trigger's hunch was right._

"_Engage to let Strider 3 escape! We're calling off the withdrawal!" Wiseman knew that a retreat was impossible unless those berkuts were shot down._

_Rage armed all his weapons locked onto the viper zero with his first and second hyper velocity alamos and ripple fired both but Trigger snapped rolled inverted pulling a spilt s. _

_Lanza quickly told them what had just happened leaving everyone on the AWACS blind-sided "Long Caster what's happening answer me!" Trigger wanted to know just what they were dealing with._

"_It may be the enemy's missiles have stealth capabilities!" Long Caster stopped both Trigger and Avril dead in their tracks._

"_Wait what? Long Caster did you just say stealth missiles that's impossible!" Trigger's mind quickly formulated a plan._

"_Their missiles may hit you immediately after your missile alert goes off!" Long Caster's AWACS operators worked furiously to track the Berkuts. _

"_Well I guess not any more Scott!" Laura responded sounding equally surprised._

_"Count escort Lanza out of here, me and Laura will deal with the Mimics. Avril you keep your head on a swivel call them out if you see them." Trigger wanted Lanza out of harm's way so the berkuts couldn't attack Strider 3._

_Trigger's jet came around with Rage passing in front of him, he selected his cannon firing a brief burst hitting Rage's Berkut punching holes in the fuel tank and external weapons bay._

"_Calling out to unidentified aircraft! Cease combat immediately and withdraw!" the Brigadier General spoke out trying to get the mimic to stand down._

_Count who was out over the bay with Lanza couldn't believe what Clements was doing "What the…" Lanza couldn't believe what he was hearing either._

"_Brigadier General Clements is radioing enemy aircraft on osean channels!" Long Caster and Wiseman looked at each other as it dawned on both men that they had a traitor on tape. _

"_I repeat withdraw!" Howard demanded wanting the mimics to cease fire and break off._

"_No chance! __Don't want anyone thinking we screwed up. __T__hree strikes __is__ going down __along with Serpentina__!" __Rage selected his stealth missiles and fired __his __first__ and __second __but Trigger dropped chaff and the stealth missiles missed._

"_Yeah and we get double pay if Trigger's backseater dies with him too." Trigger growled broke formation charging at Rage while __Scream shot down a pair of SLUAVs __that had entered the airspace __with her __first__ and __second __archer__ missiles._

"_You god dammed idiots! You can go to hell together!" Howard's frustration seemed to overrule his common sense he would have realised that he just possibly outed himself. "You siblings can go to hell together!" Howard growled in frustration._

"_You call me an idiot again I'll kill you!" Scream responded hating being called an idiot. She switched to her two hyper velocity alamos and fired them at Serpentina who barrel rolled then rolled inverted "You little bitch."_

_Scream spotted a SLUAV closing on Rage who used his third stealth missile to down it "So not only do we have to down Three Strikes but avoid someone else's fire as well." _

_Scream felt an explosion go off behind her "Who the hell is firing those missiles?" _

"_Strider 1 shoot them down!" Howard ordered seeming unaware of Jason's presence._

"_Gladly." He pressed a button sending an AAM-4B towards Rage who activated his ECM as his Berkut's right wingtip was torn off._

_Laura locked on with her first hyper velocity sparrow but Scream's ECM decoyed the seeker "The bats seemed to have enhanced their ECM capabilities. Dirty tricks aren't all they got both clearly are ace material!"_

"_Well of course we help your force take back our employer's base." Scream commented thinking back to operation dice when a shriek of a missile alert as Laura's second sparrow launched but Scream deployed chaff and banked hard losing the lock when Laura's first AAM-5 missile struck part of her right tail damaging the rudder._

"_Projectile launched! 10 seconds to contact!" Trigger heard a missile alert as Rage's last stealth missile was fired at Trigger who nosed forward below the clouds._

"_This is great I get to chat with the man I'm about to kill. fox two." Scream called as the SLUAV exploded but her final stealth missile missed Trigger and hit the water. _

_Trigger pulled hard firing his laser but Rage's Berkut was ahead of the shots "That was close." he prepared to come around when a SLUAV appeared but Rage quickly dispatched it with an archer while Trigger had dispatched another with his first AAM-5._

_"Your PMC, aren't you? that's why you've got connections with the Osean military." Trigger wanted answers from these two pilots. He was hot on Rage's tail firing a second AAM-4b but it was decoyed by the ECM system. _

_Scream selected her two her high power archers firing __her __first __but Serpentina ducked inside the clouds "Damm I missed."_

"_Firing." she fired her second high power archer but Serpentina deployed her flares and one them collided with the missile destroying it._

_Trigger looked over his weapons seeing he had two AAM-3 and 4Bs with a single AAM-5 "Trigger break bandit 8 o clock." Avril __spotted Rage who fired his 30mm cannon but Trigger barrel rolled as Scream joined him as Rage's __second__ archer left the weapons bay but Trigger dove into the clouds and the missile lost him._

"_Haven't killed outside of a job in such a long time." Rage spoke looking over what he had left knowing they'd expend too much ammo thanks to the drones. _

_Trigger flew over Anchor hill descending towards the city as Rage fired his first high powered archer but Trigger ducked feet from the road as the archer's seeker lost its lock in all the ground clutter and struck a building_

_Trigger's muscles ached as his fatigue increased when he heard something he wasn't expecting "Scream fire MIRVS."_

_Each fired their __first __MIRV "Can you go crazy outside of the job Scream?" Rage asked his sister as they watched __the MIRVS close in on Trigger._

"_As long as I got you and a strong man to subdue!" Scream giggled as Trigger flew through the city with MIRVS exploding on the side of buildings._

_Rage rolled over choosing his __second __high power archer and opened fire. The archer streaked towards him but Trigger quickly barrel rolled then popped another set of flares decoying the Archer._

"_Well you heard us, Three Strikes. We're hear to take you down." Rage spoke his voice laced with venom but Trigger banked hard right turning towards the bay but Trigger snap pulled the jet into a climbing turn locking onto Rage with his second AAM-5 and launched the missile. It climbed towards Rage who put his ecm system at max jamming the missile._

_Avril could see how the clouds were building up indicating that a storm was coming but unbeknownst to the Mimics Avril had installed a piece of software that helped improve the seeker's lock in clouds._

_Serpentina shot her second hyper velocity sparrow at Scream but Rage's ECM pod overwhelmed the missile's seeker as well._

_The bats closed on Trigger and fired their second MIRVS but the close proximity of the viper zero to the water caused the MIRVS to hit the water._

"_I wonder when they'll realise." Avril asked herself careful not to blab over the radio when Count's voice came over it._

"_Trigger change frequency They're eavesdropping on us as we speak." Trigger changed frequency. "Trigger!..right, now its just the three of us on the line. Those dammed bats are probably looking for a chance to pincer you so Lanza and I once you say will ripple fire our __AMRAAMs__ if one breaks formation you take em down! They seem to have a crush on you. So let me work my charm."_

_Scream closed on Serpentina who'd lost sight of Trigger trying to get a lead for her cannon. But she couldn't so reformed with Rage._

"_Scream we've been had." Rage realised as he to a horrifying conclusion that the two viper zeroes were stalling till our ammo was depleted._

"_Now fire!" Trigger called and missile alerts filled the bats cockpits as eight AMRAAMs streaked their way into the harbour. "Shit Mimic 2 break."_

_The bats broke formation as Serpentina reached the apex of her loop._

_S__he __rolled over descending onto Scream's tail who chopped the power and rolled inverted till she was canopy to canopy with Serpentina._

"_Scream we only have our cannons now." Rage felt that their time was running out._

_The sudden realisation distracted Scream who added some power rolling right in front of Serpentina in perfect position for a laser cannon kill but Rage closed in fast to stop Serpentina with his 30mm cannon._

_Unfortunately for Rage Trigger pounced firing AAM-4B no.3 "Fox three." the AAM-4B tracked towards Rage striking the back of his Berkut while Scream climbed vertically reaching her apex just as Trigger's missile hit._

"_Splash 1 Berkut." Trigger called as the Berkut dropped towards the water._

"_You did it Trigger!" Count cried having heard the splash call._

"_Rage." Scream shouted as she heard and saw the explosion._

"_You idiot, stay focused! Kill them al..." Rage rolled inverted and slammed his ejector jettisoning himself form the Berkut as it disintegrated in mid air. Scream seeing the explosion and not her brother in a parachute._

_She felt her world crashing down around her. "Arrh I told you not to call me an idiot!"_

"_There's only 1 left Scott we'll run her down together but the death blow will come from you brother." Serpentina felt a swell of hope that they could win._

"_No I can't do this alone! He was real smart, you know?! I can't do anything not on my own! Noo, I don't want to live kill me!.." Scream climbed into the vertical but Trigger fired another burst of cannon fire damaging the fuel tanks. The voice in the Berkut descended into burst of maniacal laughter._

_The voice in the solo Berkut sounded like she was losing it "No. Just kill me Three strikes! Three strikes." Rage who could hear all of what scream was saying, he worried that his sister would in her psychotic episode would crash her plane and kill herself. _

"_I'll kill you just like you did my brother." she said but it was clear to the two Osean pilots and even Rage that Scream was having a massive breakdown._

"_Rage don't leave me alone, you can't leave me like this." she screeched as __the__Super Viper Zeroes__ closed in firing their lasers raking over the fuselage making more dents but as they pulled out Scream fired her cannon but in her distressed state missed until her gun was all but empty._

"_I'm going to see Rage I can't live without him." Scream was so broken that she considered to herself to put her jet into a dive and slam it straight into the ground. "No Rage." Scream could hear the missile alerts and reached for her ECM control turning it all the way down._

"_You want to kill me, right? C'mon then I'm all yours kill me." she said as Trigger positioned himself and lobbed his fourth AAM-4B with destroyed more of her left wing._

_Scream's cockpit alarms blared as Trigger raked her jet with bullets with one puncturing her fuel tank. __"I know __Rage's going to heaven, so I'll be all alone again in hell. I'll be waiting for you down there, Three Strikes." _

_Rage having gotten aboard the boat tuned the radio having heard Scream's transmission._

_Laura spotted a chute __in the water__. __"__Scream I see a chute __I think__ Rage made it out." _

"_Sis I ain't going to heaven today. Now eject that's an order Mimic 2!" Rage said as Scream punched out of her Berkut as the missile Trigger fired struck the crippled jet sending it down in flames. The Berkut crashed into the bay sinking quickly._

_She landed in the water as he watched her hit the water and carefully moved the boat to pick her up._

_"Three strikes, __S__erpentina we will meet again." __Rage__ spoke __as Scream sat down in the cabin._

_"And we shall be waiting, you and Rage are skilled opponents." Trigger acknowledged as he and his sister turned for home._

"_So we've not seen the last of them huh?" Avril was quiet as the jet left the airspace. While Rage steered the missile boat out of the harbour._

"_Yes, the problem has been eliminated for now." Howard was a little angry that Mimic survived. "__Now leave the ao and return to base."_

_One of the AWACS operators who was listening to the Erusean frequency let an incoming transmission __"Meet us at the __drop-off point. Three Strikes has removed all the straggler Eursean forces. That did make for a good sideshow."_

_W__iseman clenched his fists as he realised that they'd be had "I hate being played Long Caster." Long Caster himself wasn't happy either knowing that the debrief would get ugly._

_**Outside the harbour**_

_The missile boat powered out the harbour as Scream looked out the window seeing the storm "Can you believe it Rage we lost to Three Strikes in a conversion trainer."_

_Rage wanted to say something but didn't when a new voice came on "I wouldn't worry about that Mimic after all you proved the new technology we provided worked so we can mass produced the missile and look at this way you get the new felon stealth fighters."_

_Rage listened for where they'd regroup and turned the boat towards the north._

_**New arrows air base  
**__18:00pm_

"_So where is Trigger and Serpentina Count?" Jaeger asked as he stepped out onto the tarmac. He saw the two damaged Eagle. One had puncture holes in engine no.1 and the other had heavy right elevator damage._

"_Well they must be on the way back." Count mused as Huxian stepped outside and she was not happy. "So that Brigadier general sounds very cocky but he talks a big game, I think he's afraid of being out-shined." _

_"Let me tell you something, men who talk a big game but push themselves too hard tend to die before their time. The Strider 1 before Trigger was the same kind of guy. Count and him have a lot in common including the annoying cocky ass laughter." Huxian scoffed as the winds blew across the airfield._

"_We have nothing in common. And if you think the new Strider 1 gonna be replaced so soon! you're wrong." Count scoffed as the low rumble of jets echoed in the distance._

_The __Super Viper Zeroes__ came into view touching down minutes later "So Trigger I must say you finally managed to bring a jet back without a scratch." __Avril flt happy that she didn't have to fix up another of Trigger's __messes._

_**New Arrows hangar no.4  
**__18:20pm_

_Parking the aircraft into the hangar, the canopy opened as Trigger and Avril stepped out, exhausted from the flight, mentally and physically._

_Dropping down onto the floor, he straightened up and stretched his aching muscles, Avril following suit._

_"There's no denying it now. There has to be the spy." Trigger grunted out to Avril._

_"You think so?" She asked, steadying herself on her good leg._

_"You're spot on."_

_A snarling voice turned their heads towards Huxian, who had stormed into the hangar to join them._

_"Its that fucking Brigadier General. He even ordered to have you killed." She told them._

_"What?!" Trigger exclaimed. "How do you know?"_

_"I overheard that son of a bitch. Come on." Turning on her heels she walked out the hangar doors, Trigger and Avril following closely._

_**New Arrows briefing room no.3  
**__18:25pm_

_Howard was being held by two officers as the rest of the squadron surrounded him. The trio from the hangar arrived shortly after._

_"You traitorous bastard!" Huxian moved forward, her fist raised. Before it could hit, she was immediately subdued by Skald._

_"Huxian, calm down! Stand down! Sit!" Wiseman ordered her, as she stopped her struggling against her wingman, her eyes still burning with fury as she stared down the General. But his attention was not on her._

_Howard sneered at Trigger who was clenching his fists. __"Why target me?"_

_"Is it not clear enough?" He scoffed. "Osea depends too much on you. I wanted to show to her that we don't need a pilot such as you. Someone as skilled as you, what would happen if you defected? Joined the enemy? Went against us? It's better if we solve this problem before it even becomes one!"_

_Noticing Avril standing behind Trigger, he continued, "Of course, it meant we had to take her out of the picture as well."_

_Glancing back at Avril who looked surprised, he turned back to face Howard, barely hiding the seething rage in his voice as he muttered, "Excuse me?"_

_"With her still alive, she boosts your chances of survival greatly with her mechanical prowess, thus making it more difficult for us and showing Osea more easily how much this country needs you. We couldn't have that, so I opted to have her eliminated as well. Killing two birds with one stone, so to speak, since she was in your plane." Howard smirked at him._

_Trigger, already furious that he had tried to have him killed, but Avril as well? The rage inside him had reached boiling point now._

_"You slimy son of a bitch, I'll fucking kill you for trying to harm her!" Trigger lunged forward, pulling his gun out of his holster. Before he could even raise it, he was immediately held back by Wiseman._

_T__rigger banged his knee on a table sending a glass of cola dropping to the floor._

"_Shit my cola!" Skald groaned as cola and glass shards slipped onto the floor as everyone stopped._

_"Strider 1, stand down, damnit! First Huxian, and then you. Calm down!" Wiseman barked at him, holding Trigger's hand back but he pulled away from him, taking aim at Howard and pulling the hammer back._

_"Trigger, no!" A soft hand on his arm pulled at him, the voice and the touch grabbing his attention away. Turning his head around, he noticed Avril had grabbed on to his arm, with her standing beside him. Just looking into her eyes was enough to cool his anger down, making him hesitate on pulling the trigger._

_"He's already done for, Leave it." She told him._

_"Avril, this bastard wanted me killed to prove something. But he even went as far to want to kill you." He growled at her. But Avril wasn't having any of it._

_"Strider 1, you will stand down." She angrily told him staring him down, knowing if he will listen to anyone, it was her._

_Her look alone was enough to make Trigger lower his gun. Avril removed her grip from his arm and moved it to his hand, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze as his own hand loosened around the handgrip, letting her take the gun from him. She handed it over to Laura, and threw Howard a dirty look._

_"Besides, a court martial is enough for him." She spat at him._

_The group sat down __"The fleet at Anchorhead was eliminated and we've prevented the submarine from joining forces. __T__he__ unidentified aircraft were shot down too. The mission was a complete success." Howard spoke __but Huxian didn't think it was a success. _

"_Complete success my ass!" Huxian's voice was littered with venom. Trigger kept his revolver as his hip as Count stood up looking just as unhappy at Howard as Cynthia was._

"_Brigadier general, it sure seemed like to me like the bats knew you pretty damn well." Count mused having over heard most the radio chatter._

"_You seem to be confused. Report for a medical check. we'll decide if you are fit for service based on the examination." Howard scoffed which to Trigger was like Howard was trying to impute that Count was making things up but even he could see the exhaustion that was running across Count's face._

_Eagle was also being restrained by Tailor with his leash but was barking and snarling at Howard "Eagle sit you bad dog." the Malmute responded to her owner's command whining._

_Huxian tried to punch Howard only for Wiseman and Skald to hold her back "Cut it." Wiseman called having just about had enough of what was going on but was still trying to process the whole situation._

"_That's enough!" Jaeger said raising his voice, Trigger knew was something that only happened if people were acting like dumbasses._

"_Get the mp!" Howard called as Laura moved for the phone when new voice came in._

"_He's right get the mp!" the unknown voice said having __entered the room. A tall black-brown haired man __who none of the LRSSG other than Wiseman recognised._

"_Vice chairman Edwards of the Joint Chiefs of Staff!" Howard recognised him immediately having no idea why he was at the base._

"_Before we continue Trigger, explain why you took a non-qualified person as your __back seater__?" Jason wasn't surprised in fact he had expected __this recalling that his old friend and mother of __T__hree __S__trikes had pulled something similar. _

"_Well Sir we really didn't have much choice since we had no weapon system officers on the team so we had to improvise." Trigger explained knowing he'll get in trouble for it."_

_Jason sighed to himself "You know Three Strikes I'm not surprised really."_

_Jason pulled up a chair __"__Now then back to the de-brief__, __The Alicorn slipped into Anchorhead after the mission was completed, using the confusion for cover __but during the operation the __E__rusean military sent two strike packages to sink the __A__licorn but all were lost__." _

_The pilots of Strider stopped in their tracks upon hearing this slow to realise what was going on. _

"_It resupplied quickly and escaped unharmed. Their goal was not join forces. It was to resupply using the window we created by chasing away the Erusean forces." he told them as they all felt angry as it was slow to dawned on them all that they'd been played._

_Trigger instantly felt like an idiot as he realised what happened "Dammit we were played fuck." Trigger swore feeling angry at being used._

"_Exactly Three Strikes we did their bidding, albeit unknowingly. But the problem runs deeper than our lack of tactical acumen. Analyst North, explain for us." _

"_Of the crew caught in the submarine accident 330 men made it back alive. Of them 300 are still on the sub today. Our intel has led us to believe that some or all of the thirty men you left the sub are now working as agents for the Alicorn." North told them as they looked at Howard quickly coming to the conclusion that he was the spy._

"_Sabotage, espionage, cyber propaganda, dissemination of false intel." Alex listed as David caught his breath._

"_Brigadier general, do you recognise the name Edgar Saxon or Zul, as he use to go by? He is a former member of the Alicorn's crew. And your source of intel." he told him as Huxian struggled to contain her anger and to break free of her squadmates hold._

"_You are a fool __B__rigadier __G__eneral Clemen__t__s. Not only that the radio communications during the mission this afternoon suggest you are a traitor." __Jason__ bluntly told them as it dawned on Howard __that he had been outed. _

_Howard felt trapped all his exits where blocked and he had people pissed at him and a snarling angry dog ready to bite his head off and a medium barrelled anaconda revolver being pointed at him "Sir if you check with Lieutenant General Shepard, you'll understand that this is all a misunderstanding." he said trying to weasel his way out of this but Jason was having none of it._

"_The Lieutenant General claims you were responsible for handling all aspects of the mission." Jason was about to order the mps be called but waited cause he felt Clements had something much worse coming._

_Eagle's growling returned. "Oh Brigadier General Clements you shouldn't have tried to kill Avril." Trigger looked back at Avril who was smiling evilly._

"_Oh yeah and w__hy is that?" __B__rigadier __G__eneral Clemen__t__s __looked lost as Trigger __smirked while Avril stepped up to him._

"_Yeah I ain't military." She reached for a wrench that she had picked up from the hangar._

"_What?" The Brigadier General's jaw dropped as he realised that he had put himself in more hot water._

"_I'm a civilian mechanic that your penal system sent to spare cause I was good enough to have rebuilt a Starfighter and if someone wants to direct me to an attorney I'd like to press charges against Clements for trying to kill me." Both the Brigadier General and Vice Chairmen were caught by surprise._

"_I think it should be taken into account that your idea to destroy the Ran fleet at Anchorhead was a good idea militarily__." _

"_Now let me say that again. Get the mp, Trigger arrest Brigadier General Clemens." he said sounding just as miffed as Huxian was._

"_No need." Huxian hit Howard with a knockout punch who fell to the floor unconscious "Piece of shit." _

_The mps came into the room, Trigger simply pointed to the floor and the mps cuffed the former brigadier general unceremoniously picking him up off the floor to take him to the medical bay._

_**New Arrows ****lounge** _

_22:00pm_

_"TOP OSEAN GENERAL CHARGED WITH TREASON."  
_

_The news headline on the TV read out. Avril leaned back into her chair and stretched her leg, looking down at it before turning towards Trigger, who was hunched over a table, facing away from her.  
_

_"Still thinking about it?" Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts as he straightened up.  
_

_"Oh. Yeah, just... thinking." He told her distractedly.  
_

_"You got pretty heated back there, Trigger." She asked him after a few seconds.  
_

_"I know."  
_

_"But you became furious when he said he wanted me killed as well." Avril told him, a hint of nervousness creeping into her voice. 'Why the hell do I care about that?' She thought to herself._

_Meanwhile Trigger was having an internal battle of his known. His insides churned as he went back to the scene; he had lost it completely on hearing what Howard had said about Avril. 'Why?' He thought to himself, the voice in his head identical to Avril's until he realised she was actually asking him, staring at him intently.  
_

_Avril mentally slapped herself for blurting that question out. 'What is wrong with me, why the hell do I want to know why he was angry for me?' She asked herself, agitated at herself but expectedly waiting for his answer. Was it excitement she was feeling? No. It must be nervousness, she told herself.  
_

_Her voice had managed to jump start his brain, as he quickly racked his head for an answer. He sighed and turned to face her. "Look, I just got angry that I got you roped up in trouble. You became a target because of me and I guess I feel kind of responsible and guilty." He spoke weakly.  
_

_Avril nodded, exhaling deeply and letting the nervousness out of her system along with it. "R-right. I understand. Thank you." She told him, looking down as she felt her face flush.  
_

_Neither spoke to each other as the room somehow became increasingly awkward with each passing minute, until she got up.  
_

_"Right." She said again. "I should get to bed, you know. Long day today. You can get me a list of what you need for your plane tomorrow in the morning."  
_

_"Of course." Trigger dismissed her, turning his head away as she opened the door.  
_

_"Hey."  
_

_Turning to see Avril holding the door open, her lips slightly curved upwards as she continued, "Good night... dumbass."  
_

_Trigger returner her smile. "Good night, Scrap Queen." _

_A/n _

_I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter and thank you to k-nack 7 for his help with the chapter_


	4. Calm before the Storm

Disclaimer: I don't own ace combat

_September 11th 2019  
__New arrows base briefing room no.2  
__20:22pm_

_The Lrssg gathered in the briefing room when David came on "We've acquired important intel for the mission." The map appeared again with an outline with the continent and a red ring "For example the shells form long range anti-air fire came in on a depressed trajectories. Look." a schematic of the Alicorn railguns appeared on the screen "The estimated output of each railgun is 500 megajoules or half the total thrust of a single raptor, fired at minimum energy trajectory range is over 3000km, they hid a powerful cannon inside their main guns." David's words startled the lrssg pilots._

"_However since brigadier general was in command they're doubting the validity of our findings." David hating the fact that Howard was still making things difficult even while sitting in a cell._

"_It's almost like Stonehenge." Count commented having seen the stonehenge gun firing._

"_Yeah a mobile Stonehenge with a madman in charge." Trigger told them thinking back to his plan on how to sink the Alicorn._

"_And also… this. The Alicorn was in harbour at Anchorhead for approximately 10 minutes which means they couldn't have loaded slbms. They loaded something smaller." David's tone sound not good which Trigger didn't like the sound of._

"_Smaller?" Huxian mused as everyone tried to think of what could be smaller than an slbm._

"_What is smaller and yet a powerful weapon?" David's question left everyone in the room until Skald had an idea._

"_Tactical nukes." He commented thinking that was the only thing small enough since he remembered learning about the seven nuclear detonations at school._

"_Close the answer is tactical nuclear shells."David's comment took everyone by surprise since none of them knew what that was._

"_Nuclear shells?" the blueprints of the warhead appeared for all of the pilots to see. "Never heard of them what are they?" Huxian asked having never heard of a weapon like that._

"_A tactical nuclear shell was a form of a limited yield tactical nuclear weapons that the superpowers developed in the 50s and 60s." Avril explained having asked one of her grandpas war buddies one time._

"_No way" Count couldn't believe it "I thought neutron bombs were made up."_

_Wiseman having spent time studying osean military history "Osea developed several during the cold war all were retired when it ended."_

"_Hey hey he got that question right." Lanza pat Skald on the back who wanted to be happy but couldn't._

"_Nah I missed the shell part." Skald responded but Jaeger wasn't happy._

"_Quiet." Jeager wanted to know more about this insane sea captain's plan so they could stop it._

"_They'll likely attack our bases on the west coast." Wiseman noted knowing that their bases would be prime targets._

"_Makes sense cause if you want to hurt the osean military morale you'd attack the base of their ace team to take them out with radiation." Avril sounded pessimistic but each knew that she was right. David couldn't help but agree with Avril's comment but that didn't fit with Torres's scheme. _

"_Their target is Oured, the Osean capital."Trigger clenched his fist upon hearing David's words as Laura, Avril and Wiseman noticed this._

"_Scott you okay?" Trigger got up from his seat as Laura looked concerned. _

"_So the plan to nuke Oured but wait." Trigger felt they were missing something "David can you bring up a map of Oured bay with a probable radiation impact radius based on the info acquired from anchorhead?" a red ring appeared on the map covering all of Oured and an area of Sapin including the capital Gran Rugido._

"_Don't you see, you don't do you." the other members were taken aback as they looked at the map slow to realise what Three Strikes had seen. _

"_If this psychopathic madman succeeds Osea will certainly use its nukes in retaliation on Erusea and only take more lives in a stupid act of vengeance and a very pissed of Sapin will join the war wanting Erusea for nuking them too." Trigger's tone was cold since he was seeing the outcome of failing to stop the submarine._

"_They want a nuclear war?" Lanza was horrified by what he'd heard since everyone in the room had lived through the seven nuclear detonations despite some not being old enough to remember them. _

"_Here's a question, what's a situation where nuclear deterrence doesn't work?" David asked them backing into his quiz show host persona since hearing what Trigger said made things feel even more dire._

_Huxian was getting sick of David's quiz show persona "Quiz guy I've had enough of this!"_

_Skald thought about what a nuclear deterrence's job was but having been a former counter insurgency pilot that terrorists would use nukes no matter what "Oh! Only if terrorists have the nukes."_

"_Correct!" David would have been happy that someone got his question right but couldn't be given the situation._

_Lanza felt impressed with his teammate "Damn Skald."_

"_Hey I'm good at trivia games and I'm familiar at dealing with guerrilla forces when I flew dragonflies." Skald told them thinking back to his time flying the dragonfly counter insurgency jet._

"_But we're after an Erusean submarine, not terrorists." Count commented knowing that they were after the Alicorn submarine not its captain. _

_Wiseman having talked to the higher ups earlier that day "No he's right. Hq tells me, Erusea's justification is that the Alicorn mutinied. As such the Erusean military cannot be held responsible for the submarine's actions." _

"_Damn." Huxian banged her fist into her chair "So they intend on dropping a nuke on the Osean captial of Oured and nuking the capital of Sapin in the process." _

_Jaeger couldn't help but wonder something "Here's a question for you analyst. Just exactly who are we fighting?"_

_David pressed a button on his keyboard leaving a photo of Torres "Correct term is terrorist or irregular military, but I have a different name for them. An enemy to be stopped at all costs." _

"_Yeah a psychopath who must be stopped at all costs no matter what it takes." Trigger's tone was quiet as he turned to Avril "Scrap Queen we need your best so get to work."_

"_Jaeger, Avril you and I need to warn our families." Trigger hastily made his way from the room along with Avril and Jaeger._

_September 12th 2019  
__New arrows base hangar no.4  
__04:30am _

_Trigger stepped inside the dark hangar up early to check on Avril suspecting she pulled an all nighter like she did after yinshi valley. He pulled out a small torch "Just as I thought."_

_Avril having fallen asleep after repairing Huxian's number 1 engine which was sitting nearby waiting to be reinstalled by the other base mechanics in the morning. She had Trigger's jet nearby with the cft tanks ready to be reinstalled with its engines on the floor clearly having been serviced._

_He could see that she was sitting down and slouching over the desk "Can't have this." Trigger stopped as he felt guilt that he was pushing Avril so hard just so they could destroy a submarine but remembered that she'd do it anyway cause that was her job._

_He carefully scooped up her legs wrapping an arm around her back but could smell the soot from the tools and make out oil stains on her clothes._

_He walked into the crew room carefully placing her on the sofa then went to get a blanket and came back placing it over her. _

_Trigger turned to leave but quickly ruffled her oil stained hair "You work so hard for nothing in return all to keep me safe from harm, I'll pay you back for all your hard work some day Scrap queen, good night."_

_Trigger quietly left the room after he had make sure Avril was comfortable on the sofa and quietly closed the door heading back to his room._

_New arrows base lounge  
__10:30am _

_The smell of bacon sandwiches and hot coffee wafted over to Avril, her brain forcing her to wake up with the instinct of wanting food. Sitting up straight, she noticed Trigger standing beside the table, placing a plate and mug down and turning to her.  
_

_"Hey, morning. I made you some breakfast." He gestured to the plate.  
_

_"Damn, that smells good." Her stomach whined, wanting sustenance. She stretched her legs and reached forward to grab one of the sandwiches till Trigger stopped her.  
_

_"No, wash your hands first." He pushed the plate back with a smile.  
_

_Sticking her tongue out at him, Avril stood up and went to the nearest restroom, coming back after a few seconds and sitting down on the sofa. Grabbing the plate from him, she hungrily wolfed down the sandwiches one by one._

_"Mug." She said, her mouth still full of food. Handing her the mug of warm coffee, Trigger watched as she took a big gulp from it, placing it back fown on the table._

_"Did you even eat last night?" He asked her.  
_

_"No, I was too tired to even go to the mess hall." She told him. Looking around at where she was, she asked, "Wait, how did I get here?"  
_

_"I carried you here. You fell asleep in the hangar. You really shouldn't do that, its not good for your back."  
_

_"I can handle it, I've slept in worse places. I think you know which place." She pointed the half eaten sandwich in her hand at him.  
_

_Nodding, Trigger turned the topic to the mission and task at hand.  
_

_"Well, I've told my family to stay out of Oured corner for the moment."  
_

_"You too?" Avril said. "My mother's not even in Osea right now. I've told her to stay away for the next couple of weeks, or at least till this all boils down."  
_

_Finishing her food, she fell back and let out a content sigh. "You're a pretty fine cook, for an idiot."  
_

_Trigger chuckled, shaking his head. "Come on. Lets see what's in store in the hangar today."  
_

_The pair stepped into the hangar seeing only Trigger's eagle with its engines._

_"I should tell you this right now, I can't bring you along for this mission. Its far too dangerous for you."  
_

_"Yeah, yeah. I know..." Avril grumbled, visibly annoyed that she couldn't come along for the next sortie. They were already at work in the hangar, or at least Avril was while Trigger assisted her on his aircraft.  
_

_He watched as she attached the first forward pylon to his Eagle, bending down to pick up the next one.  
_

_"I gotta hand it to you, this is some mighty impressive work, Avril." He complimented her, watching her bend down.  
_

_"You can thank me properly when it's all done." She told him curtly, standing and turning around to look at him. Trigger quickly shifted his gaze to his plane.  
_

_Walking around the aircraft to survey her handiwork, Trigger reached out to inspect the wings.  
_

_"So..." He began, unsure of how to continue.  
_

_"What." Avril said, already busy with the next pylon, grunting slightly as beads of sweat formed on her forehead and arms._

_"You know, you're like a dream girl for any pilot." Trigger said, looking under the aircraft's engines at her face with a cloth, she stopped what she was doing as she turned to look at him. "Excuse me?" She asked, leaning over the tool cart, picking up a wrench."Think about it. You're good with all this mechanical plane stuff, you're pretty fit with all this heavylifting, and you're doing pretty good in the looks department if I do say so myself." He told her, appearing in front of her and leaning over the tool cart as well. "Like I said, a pilot's dream girl."  
_

_Taken aback by what he had said, Avril stared at him for a full minute before shaking her head and scoffing, a smile showing on her lips. "Well, a pilot's dream girl at least would go for a dumbass who can bring his plane back in one piece most damn flights." She said, tapping his chest with the wrench in her hands, pushing him back. It didn't matter if she was shorter, she knew how to keep him on a leash.  
_

_Trigger threw his hands up in defeat and grinned at her. "Okay, that's true. But." He rested his elbows on the tool cart, chin in his hands as he looked up at her with a toothy smile. "I'm betting you were the eye catcher back at wherever you were before, all this, weren't you."  
_

_Avril scoffed once more and turned to focus on her work, but unknown to him she was hiding her slightly red face. "I didn't really care about that." She answered.  
_

_"So what about you?" She asked as she resumed her task. "Don't you have a girl waiting for you back home? But judging with how you are acting right now, I'm assuming you don't."  
_

_"Yeah, I was too busy with my training to really consider that stuff." He answered her. Clearing his throat, he hesitated with growing nervousness as he questioned, "So what about you? Got someone?"  
_

_Looking up from her work with a satisfactory smile, she turned to face him and shook her head. "What part of 'didn't really care about that' did you not get?"  
_

_"Oh! Right. My bad. Sorry." Trigger said, feeling relieved and smacking his head.  
_

_"Dumbass..." Avril giggled with a smile. "Besides, I'm not really the dating type." She told him, her voice slightly faltering as her grin faded.  
_

_"Well that's a shame." He said, looking up at her, snapping her out of her thoughts.  
_

_"Why's that?" She inquired curiously.  
_

_"Any guy would be pretty lucky to have someone like you. Someone tough as nails, but still got that caring side to them." He answered with a smile.  
_

_Rolling her eyes, she turned away from him, her face now even more redder. "Oh my god, you're an awful flirt, you idiot."  
_

_"You know its true!" He laughed, following her as she walked over to the bomb rack, picking it up.  
_

_"Oh shut up, you dumbass." Her own chuckle followed soon after, but her leg soon got the best of her as she walked back. Her grip slipped on the bomb rack as it clanged onto the hangar floor._

_"Fuck." She cursed under her breath, but it was still loud enough for Trigger to hear.  
_

_"Why don't you take a quick breather?" He asked her.  
_

_"No, not until this is done." She grunted as she picked it up again, bringing it to his plane.  
_

_"Can I ask you a question?" Trigger asked her in a more serious tone.  
_

_"Shoot."  
_

_"Why do you put so much effort into my plane? Like, more than the others."  
_

_Avril stopped what she was doing, and turned to face him, her face more forlorn than annoyed at his question. She took a deep breath.  
_

_"I have my reasons. And one day I'll tell you." She told him, her hands on her hips, her thoughts already turning to the one of the two members of her family whom she really loved.  
_

_Trigger nodded in understanding, not wanting to pry any further. The air was beginning to get heavy in the hangar, he fiddled with the small radio on her workbench, tuning it to a song to alleviate the tension that had settled.  
_

_"Oh this is a good one." He exclaimed, standing up straight and moving to her.  
_

_"Hey, come on." Trigger reached his hand out to her, who looked at him with amusement which soon turned to horror as she realised what he wanted her to do."  
_

_"No. Absolutely not." She raised her hands up in defense.  
_

_"Yes, Absolutely yes." He grinned at her. "Come on, lighten up a bit, you're already working too hard. Dance with me, Scrap Queen!"  
_

_"Trigger, I don't think this is a good idea!" She objected, still mortified as he grabbed her hands, her face reddening once more as her ears burned. Quickly trying to come up with excuses, she began blabbering, "Trigger, my leg- I don't know how to dance- you stupid dumbass, do you have to hold my hands?!- "  
_

_Trigger just laughed as he pulled her in. "Just one, only to relax. It's not that hard. Think of it as me thanking you." He told her with a grin.  
_

_Avril rolled her eyes at him, begrudgingly placing one hand on his chest and the other entwined with his fingers.  
_

_"This is so not what I do..." She muttered, jumping slightly at his hand on her back, her face burning red and shooting glances at the hangar door to make sure there weren't any prying eyes watching them.  
_

_"See? It isn't that hard." He told her, beginning a simple waltz.  
_

_She just pouted instead which made him chuckle, turning her around before leaning side to side.  
_

_Avril cursed under her breath as she almost stumbled because of her boots, groaning in dismay. Trigger grinned at her as he twirled her and pulled her in closer to avoid her stepping on her own toes, and she soon matched his own stepping rhythm. To her own surprise, she found herself beginning to enjoy it a little before as soon as it had it began, the song was over.  
_

_Letting go of him quickly and panting, she turned to face him.  
_

_"See? It wasn't that bad, you just needed to lighten up. You did great for a beginner, too." He smiled at her.  
_

_"It was okay. Don't make me do that again." She said, her face a deep red.  
_

_"Nonsense." He waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "I'll make a fine dancer out of you yet."  
_

_Rolling her eyes at him, Avril turned to his aircraft with a half-annoyed half-playful groan. "You're impossible."  
_

_"You like it that way."  
_

_"Shut up and help me with this component, dumbass."_

_Trigger felt fatigue hit him so sat down at a nearby work bench. Both he and Avril were soaked in maintenance fluid and sweat. He looked at Avril who was equally tired and soaked._

"_How do you work in these conditions?" Trigger couldn't help but ask since it felt very difficult to work given how hot the hangar got."_

"_Well I'm close to collapse myself but when you worked several hours a day at that hellhole you get use to it." she slowly walked over sitting down next to him. _

_She leaned over resting her head on his sweat covered shoulder quickly dozing off. Trigger couldn't help but notice that her shirt was soaked right through and sticking to her sweat covered skin. He leaned forward a bit easily eyeing that her nipples were poking through her shirt. _

"_Stay there you." Avril mumbled asleep. _

_Trigger quickly scooped up some grease from his arm into 3 of his fingers quickly dragging them across her cheek. Avril awoke suddenly looking over her shoulder to see Trigger laughing._

_Avril lunged forward grabbing his arm but Trigger spun her around grabbing her left thigh pinning her to the floor. She flinched turning her head to look at him "What?" Trigger couldn't see why she was looking at him until he looked down seeing his hand on her thigh. _

_He pulled back but Avril seeing her chance snaked her leg round his waist flipping Trigger onto his back. She pressed herself down with one hand on his chest while slipping her other hand round the chain that he was wearing. _

"_Okay Scrap Queen you win." Trigger spoke with a slight laugh as Avril giggled briefly before she burst out laughing. Her grip on his tags tightened and she pulled on the tags pulling his head closer. _

_Trigger noticed Avril hesitate as she held him there and Trigger's free hand ruffled her oil stained messy hair._

_She felt her doubt leaving and crashed her lips into his. The pair relaxed into each other as Trigger's free hand gripped her trousers as she gripped his head deepening the kiss as they moaned into each other._

_The sound of a door opening caught their attention and they broke the kiss. "Shit." Count entered the hangar but couldn't see_

_Avril quickly pulled herself off Trigger "Hey Trigger, Avril you in here." _

_Avril straightened her shirt as Trigger tucked his tags into his shirt "Damm Count what do you want?" _

_Count appeared from behind the eagle seeing the pair "Its time for supper guys."_

_Trigger sighed looking at his wingman "We'll be there in a few minutes."_

_Count satisfied and left the hangar. Trigger and Avril felt embarrassed that Count nearly caught them making out. Avril was blushing a deep red and was looking at the jet._

"_Sorry about that Avril I don't know what came over me." Trigger leaned against the jet._

"_Its fine Trigger this shouldn't affect our relationship since it was a heat of the moment thing." Avril stood to face him. Trigger felt a wave of relief and grateful at Avril's words._

"_Come on let's get cleaned up and get supper." Trigger said to her as they made their way to get cleaned up although both felt awkward walking next to each other. _

'_Am I in love with this dumbass, no I can't be cause I should be keeping my distance from him.' Avril wasn't sure what to think any more._

**September 13th 2019  
**New arrows rec room  
17:00pm

_Wiseman, Count and Huxian were sitting at a table as Skald and Lanza finished up a game "Hey Avril wanna play a game?" Trigger asked her as Lanza handed him a pool cue while Skald set up the balls._

_"Uhh I don't remember how to play since its been a while since I last did." Avril admitted having a basic idea what the game was. "I play this with gramps and his friends while we were rebuilding my drag racer._

_"Don't worry I can give you a refresher." Trigger said to her placing the white cue ball on the table._

_He stood behind her placing his hands on hers as he helped her position the cue, Avril blushed a deep red which didn't go unnoticed by Wiseman._

_The two pulled the cue stick back and then hit the cueball which crashed into the triangle of pool balls scattering them across the table._

_Wiseman, Count and Huxian watched the pair play when __Laura stepped into the room "Hey guys are you betting on something?"_

_"We're betting on something fun Wiseman and i came up ." Count told her but Laura rolled her eyes. "_how close Trigger and Avril will get"

_Wiseman picked up a piece of paper that Trigger had put down the table. he looked at the list and thought to himself for a moment._

_"Well I think we'll be seeing a side of Three Strikes when you are being hunted and this wolf won't stop until he's got you." Wiseman's words sent shivers down everyone._

_Trigger turned to look at everyone "What?"_

_"You know I'm glad Three Strikes is on our side." Huxian commented having seen Trigger in action several times._

_Wiseman leaned against the chair "I guess I should tell you guys I was going to fire the original Strider 1 and replace him with Trigger when he got acquitted cause I'll be honest I wasn't happy with the original Strider 1 since he didn't work well with us but Trigger really bring this team together."_

_Trigger couldn't help but smile "Well Team let's grab some chow and plan how we'll destroy the Alicorn."_

_The lrssg pilots left the room but Trigger stopped at the pool table taking one last shot potting the number 3 ball "Game on Captain."_

_He followed out switching off the lights as he left the rec room._

A/n

well I hope you all enjoyed this fluff chapter before I get to the big one and a thanks once again to k-nack7 for his help and i hope to get chapter 5 completed soon cause i'm currently in a fortnight quarantine with this pandemic and having to reduce my non-essential travel


	5. Ten million relief plan

Disclaimer: I do not own Ace combat

_**The Octagon  
**__**Oured  
**__September 14th 2019  
__08:13 am _

_David north sat down at his desk as news reports flashed across the screen saying Osean joint chiefs and president and vice-president moved to safety.'"Here's a question Alex can we stop Captain Matias Torres?" David's voice sounded tense as he knew that today might be his last. Some of his other colleagues had talked to their loved ones. _

"_Depends on if you treat the Captain or Three Strikes as a singularity." Alex despite being an AI had known David long enough to detect that he was worried._

_He responded to her comment with a question of his own."Both are. What happens when two singularities exist on the same field?"_

"_That requires seven months calculation with current resources." the simulation ended with the white eagle and black submarine facing each other over the white king which David suspected was Oured._

"_We'll just have to trust the guys in the field." David sighed knowing it was out of their hands now._

_He stared at the blueprints of the Alicorn class submarine cruiser "David evacuate!" Alex chimed wanting David out of harm's way._

"_No I still have to finish up here." a picture of an f-15 with three claw marks was in the middle of the screen "Three Strikes we need you now more than ever."_

_**New arrows air base briefing no.1  
**__10:30am_

_The pilots had gathered in the briefing room each already dressed in their flight gear, all eager to get airborne and end this hunt once and for all, David was already on the line "The Erusean military finally sent part of the Alicorn's specs. Its basic capabilities listed here were as we predicted."_

_Trigger had a feeling that they were about get told something not good._

"_What's interesting is but also bad news...over here."_

_David's words didn't sound good "In addition to main guns, they have a 600mm or 128 calibre rail cannon. The barrel exceeds 70 meters! Its range is over 3000 kilometres. That matches what we calculated from the bombardment on Anchorhead bay."_

_The group looked at each other concerned at that information._

"_The mini-nuke they seem to have obtained has a yield of 1 kiloton. it'll destroy anything within a 400 meter radius of ground zero. Casualties are to be in the tens of thousands." they watched the 3d Alicorn fire a shell and watched the shell hit with red indicating nuclear fallout and the number of causalities but Trigger having seen from the briefing that the mini-nuke would kill 87,920 people which was well short of Torres's insane target._

"_According to my calculations they'd need to fire 11 shells to reach their target goal." Trigger suspected that some external factor would be coming into play. _

_David knew Trigger had gone into his stepping back and seeing the bigger picture moment "According to our intel that our special ops team got we know they only have two nuclear shells."_

_Trigger couldn't help but think after he remembered a documentary about a mid-air collision that had occurred between an osea west passenger jet and an osean marine corps phantom in 1981. "David if I was a betting man I'd bet 20 zollars that are there anti-war demonstrations going on at the moment?"_

_David was about to answer Trigger's question when Skald interrupted "I know some things are better left unsaid, but let me say it. that's less damage than I expected._

_David held his finger over the button "Nice catch remember this speech?"_

_The voice of the captain rang out over the briefing room speakers "This boat has the means to end this hideous war, in a definitive and elegant manner. The world shall be horrified by the number of lives we will take. Only then will they let go of their weapons…Weapons that would have taken the lives of ten million."_

_David had run Trigger's calculation with Alex who came to the same number as Trigger did "The imagery invoked by those words and the actual predicted damage just don't match..."_

"_David hold on a sec why does the Alicorn need to collect nuclear shells when they likely have enough nuclear fuel and shells to make some?"_

_The others looked at him as David sighed "They had to because the Alicorn doesn't have the facility onboard that makes nuclear shells."_

"_So here's a question!" Count asked having spent some time practising his quiz show voice._

"_Sorry got no quizzes for you today. They will launch the nuke on September 19th." Count was not surprised that David wasn't going to be bring his game show host to this briefing._

"_Why are you sure?" Huxian having been quietly listening to the briefing asked him._

"_Because that's the anniversary of the end of the continental war. Anti-war demonstrations and victory parades are in full swing in Oured." _

_Trigger pressed his face into his hand as Laura and Avril placed a hand on his shoulder. "Shit I hate being right."_

"_You'll stop him Scott we know you will after all your Three Strikes and you are a bad omen to them." Avril told him trying to reassure him "And you'll be giving them a nasty surprise too." _

_Wiseman looked at Avril wondering what she did when David resumed his talk "There's about a million participants in total. That number will rise on the anniversary. However this nuke isn't that powerful. They'd have to thread through the eye of the needle to achieve the desired result."_

"_Terminal guidance would be needed." Skald suspected that Torres would fire from long range so would need uavs to act as his eyes._

"_Right. How do they intend to achieve it when GPS won't work…?" David was about to continue when Avril decided to drop her two cents into this conversation knowing Trigger's original plan for the Alicorn._

"_You're all thinking too much. If we sink the submarine it's problem solved." Avril commented knowing the obvious and simplest solution._

"_Crude but effective." David knew that sometimes simpler was better._

"_Crude?" Avril looked at Huxian who had the same idea. _

"_Alright look at this. The Alicorn's expected course. We know it was off Anchorhead bay and has to get to Oured within range before __September__ 19__th__. They must avoid being detected by Osea and its sound surveillance system and ships. __Also avoid the __E__rusean navy __too since the king of Erusea ordered the Alicorn to be hunted down __and sunk__._

_Trigger had expected that cause the Alicorn had basically attacked both sides so they'd both want to sink the Alicorn. "Taking into account its maximum operating depth this is the only possible route. The Alicorn will move along the azalea seamount chain and reach a blandy named body of water called px80443. The waters here are shallow due to an undersea mountain range and nearby islands. This is where it'll be. We also know roughly when they'll arrive in the area." _

"_Quite the prediction you have here." Jaeger noted as the map changed to the ao._

"_Indeed. But if it makes it through, then you're looking at peony trench. The sub's max operating depth is 600 meters. Tracking it would be impossible."_

"_Right. Now I'm gonna give you the mission details, so listen up. Our mission is to cooperate with the patrol aircraft to find the Alicorn. In the first phase of the mission, multiple patrol aircraft will drop sonobuoys to build a sonobuoy barrier. Then, in the 2nd phase, we narrow down the possible location of the Alicorn by analysing the data from the sonobuoys. The results of our analysis will be data linked on an overlay on your radars."_

_Wiseman was about to continue when a new caller added himself "Good morning Three Strikes." the group looked to see Matias on the screen._

_Everyone in the room stopped in their tracks as Matias Torres was on the Osean frequency and was calling them "I got the frequency form the former brigadier general a useful pawn nothing more."_

_Trigger got up from his chair "What do you want Captain come to surrender and save us the trouble and fuel to hunt you down?"_

"_Oh no Captain Scott Hansen I won't surrender to a traitor to his own country like you, the death of a million is worthwhile cost." each of the LRSSG looked at Trigger "I heard you killed Harling well I'd expect that from a criminal like you."_

_Trigger clenched his fist the rage growing "I read your file that I also got from Clements happy birthday shame it will be your last." the sound of Torres's laughter filled the room disturbing everyone. "I wonder what your father would say if he knew you were a traitor to the very country he served and died for."_

_Laura looked her brother who was reaching for their dad's revolver "You fucking bastard I will end you and your cult today even if I have to wreck my plane to do it!"_

_Avril, Laura and Wiseman knew what Torres was doing and were disgusted. "I wonder to myself what he'd think if he could see you having to grow without him and you become nothing but a criminal I bet he would not be proud of you at all. _

_Avril grabbed Trigger's arms moving his hand away from the revolver and Trigger relaxed into her touch but glanced at Torres giving him a death glare since he had gone too far._

_"___H____eed my words ____Captain ____this plan of yours will be stopped and I intend to ____walk all over it with ____my ____dirty boots! Over the crisp, white sheets of ____your____ bed that ____you____ just made!"___Trigger could hear a growl from the captain who hung up. But David told that they were unable to trace the call._

_Wiseman could easily see the anger and rage that was coming from Trigger and he could understand Trigger's anger at what Torres wanted to do but Avril had set up a nasty surprise for the Alicorn's crew._

"_And for the final phase…Trigger if you can calm your head for a moment, you're going to look for the submarine. Something I believe you did."_

"_Yeah I do remember an exercise like what I'm being tasked with." Trigger thought back to that experiment._

"_We acquired one special magnetic anomaly detector pod for this. It will be on your jet even with the weapons you're taking. Fly over where we expect the Alicorn might be. If the submarine is right beneath you, your mad will detect it. You'll also have nautical charts on your radars so use them. Once its found, our fleet will commence a unified attack with ASROCs and sink it."_

_Trigger walked up to the podium "Okay the order is simple stop the Alicorn, kill Matias Torres and shoot down every last Erusean son of a bitch that gets in our way."_

"_And if we miss?" Skald inquired curiously wondering what the plan was if the ASROCs didn't hit._

_David jumped back into the call "Four ships will be joining the operation. There won't be a 2nd salvo." _

_Jaeger turned to Wiseman "So who's flying Wiseman?"_

_Wiseman looked at them "Everyone except myself, Fencer and Tailor Now get your fat asses moving."_

_The pilot__s__ began to get up but __Count and Avril looked at each other __as another voice came over the base speakers "__Attention, Attention __this is operations alert __scramble, scramble, __scramble__." _

_Trigger and the other pilots raced over to the hangar climbing into their planes as the ground crews pulled the covers off the planes._

_Trigger climbed into his jet but Avril climbed up the steps stopping at the edge "I wish I was going with you." Trigger quickly checked the flight controls. "Everything work okay?"_

"_Yeah it looks great." he responded to her as the wheel chocks were pulled away._

"_Trigger come back alive will ya." Avril asked him sounding very worried about this op._

"_Oh I will Scrap Queen." __he __buckled into his seat._

_She knew he wasn't going to change his mind "Good luck Trigger and take care."_

_Avril put her ear defenders on as Trigger fired up the engines. _

_The low rumble of F100 engines echoed throughout the bases as the jets taxied across the field. _

_Trigger rolled the eagle out of his hangar __with__ the viper zero of his sister __ahead of him__. __The jet's turbofans powered up pushing the jet down the runway. __Avril watched the Super Viper Zero depart as the Eagle lined up._

_The eagle roared as the two turbofans pushed it down the runway until it lifted off. __Avril watched the jet disappear__ "__Well Th__ere they go. I know as long as Three Strikes is in the air they've not won and I know he'll succeed."_

_**Spring sea  
**__**17:05pm**_

_The Alicorn was parked on the surface as Matias Torres stepped onto the deck wanting to stretch his legs before the battle to come but noticed a sacs pilot was also out on deck._

_Torres knew the coming battle would decide the fate of millions but in the back of his mind he knew he was asking his crew to betray their country but he remembered that this war had to end and he was going to be the one to do it "Lieutenant enjoying the last sunset we'll likely see?" _

_Louis turned around seeing Matias "Yeah __sir __beautiful isn't it__." __the setting sun's rays reflected off the submarines hull._

_Matias had seen all the crew's wills __except Louis's__ "__Captain __Louis Barbieri I heard you are yet to write a will __and congratulations on your promotion__."_

_Louis sat down on the edge with Torres doing the same __"__Thank you Sir but __I __don't feel like celebrating." _

_Torres looked at the calm ocean "Why?"_

_Louis sighed to himself "I __lost all my family in the war sir, __my mom and dad__ died when the Oseans bombed __the __A__rtigillo port from what a colleague told me the plane that did it had __three__ lines on its tail __then my childhood girlfriend was killed __when Three Strikes shot her down during our first encounter with him she was flying one of the growler planes.__ All I have left is Erusea and its armed forces__." __Louis tried to hide rage and sadness but Torres knew better._

"_You want vengeance don't you for what Three Strikes did don't you?" Torres knew what the lust for revenge was like after his battleship had been destroyed by the Grim Reaper. Matias knew Louis was planning. "Three strikes revels in killing."_

_Louis looked over to see two Rafales waiting __on the elevator__. "Three Strikes will pay for what he did to me." __his words were laced with venom "You know Captain if we succeed why don't we hit Three Strikes where it really hurts by destroying his home __with our big gun__."_

_Torres couldn't help but smile. "__Perfect __plan __Captain Barbieri__!"_

_The two men walked back towards the side door "You shall be part of our salvation! Go get ready for take off and kill Three Strikes."_

_"Aye, Aye sir!" Louis raced inside as the Rafales taxied to the catapult._

"_Should we clear the baffles captain?" the cdo asked captain who was __still looking at as he came outside._

"_They won't chase by sea the pursers will be airborne." Torres however hadn't forgotten about the navy ships likely going in to find them._

"_I bet they'll get frustrated searching. It will be nearly impossible to find us in these open seas." The cdo scoffed sounding very confident but Torres knew that you should never underestimate your enemy._

_Torres stepped inside "Come Hunting if you dare Three Strikes."_

_**17:45pm**_

_after several in flight refuels, the lrssg flight and Serpentina entered the ao but Laura raised her visor "Just look at that sunset stunning." The sunlight glisten off her aircraft._

_Long caster checked his radar seeing it clear but knew it wouldn't stay that way for long "Alright Strider, Cyclops, Serpentina listen up I want you guys to know that we'll all be watching you out there, we all know what's at stake. Failure is not acceptable. So to all of you good luck and happy hunting. Oh and I'll keep score."_

_As the flight closed in on the rest of the osean forces. Count laughed quietly to himself "Thanks Long Caster now its time for some treasure hunting Trigger." _

_"Arrh me hearties let's find that __mutinous dog __C__aptain __T__orres __and__ send him down to meet __D__avy __J__ones __A__rrh." Trigger said trying to do his best pirate impression. __Some of the crew on the AWACS and __S__pecter quietly laughed._

"_Aye aye Captain Trigger." Laura replied enjoying her brother's pirate attempt._

"_Oh boy I'm excited." Lanza couldn't wait to get the mission started but Huxian wasn't amused cause to her this was serious and they were joking and bantering. _

_"Stop screwin around!" Huxian chided not amused by Trigger's antics._

"_Don't be such a hothead Huxian! We all know what will happen if we screw up." Count responded as Trigger flew ahead of them spotting the p-1 patrol planes._

"_Yeah millions of lives depend on us so we need to bring our A-game." Trigger scanned the sky looking for bandits. But the cloud cover wasn't helping._

"_OMDF Specter Squadron this is Strider 1 of the LRSSG do you read me? We're approaching you guys from the south we should have visual contact with you any moment now."_

_"Yes Sir This is patrol aircraft Specter 1. we'll deploy the sonobuoy barrier! we're all prepared to buy the farm, and that's why there's so many of us. According to calculations only one aircraft is needed to find it." Trigger didn't like that one bit. The feeling was mutual among the others._

_Trigger flew past the p-1s but Trigger eased the throttle drifting into formation just ahead of them seeing that these jets were very different to the Orions that the OMDF use to fly._

_Count scowled at hearing Specter 1's words "Those aren't the sort of calculations we like are they Trigger?"_

_"Damm right! same goes for the rest of us too!" Huxian jumped in voicing her displeasure which even Wiseman and Long Caster hated the fact that Specter was thinking they'd not make it._

_Trigger noticed six glints at low level "Specter Squadron you will all be getting home alive today that I promise you." _

_He looked where he saw the glints which had now become the outline of jets "Tally ho we got company." Long Caster scanned his radar picking out the blips._

"_Detecting hostiles they're here as predicted. Definitely fighters form the Alicorn! six Rafale m confirmed hostile, weapons free cleared to engage!"_

_Long caster updated their HUD as Trigger selected his AMRAAMs, each of the jets armed their weapons "What are they a suicide squad, I'll make their death wish come true."_

_Trigger pressed and held his missile fire button "Fox Three!" He advanced the throttles breaking formation to charge headfirst at the enemy fighters. The AMRAAMs radar guidance lead them right to the Rafales and obliterated them._

_"Trigger you take the lead the patrol aircraft must be protected! all aircraft follow Trigger!" Wiseman announced as Trigger dove on the far right Rafale zero 5. _

_He moved to his pulse lasers firing a short burst but the sturdy Rafale absorbed the punishment. The eagle shot past the Rafale but Trigger pulled hard right while deploying his airbrakes and was on Zero 5's tail who fired a missile "Zero 5 bandit on your tail." Zero 6 tried to warn his squadron mate but could do nothing._

_Trigger fired his lasers again tearing the Rafale apart._

"_Five kills in what less than 30 seconds he's good." Specter 2's co-pilot who had watched Trigger dispatch five aircraft in quick succession and was already on lining up for his sixth kill of the day firing a burst when zero 6 suddenly pulled into the vertical while trailing smoke._

"_Hey Huxian I let you take this one." Huxian went vertical with the Rafale weaving around trying to get into the clouds._

_She locked onto the erusean jet with her missile and fired her first which struck Zero 6's tail sending the jet into a vertical nosedive. "Splash one Rafale."_

_Wiseman wondered just how many jets they'd have to shoot down today so turned to Mr North "David here's a question just how many naval jets can the Alicorn carry?"_

"_Twenty to Thirty__ depending on what model __of carrier jet__ but its __un__confirmed intel __could be more__." __David felt hope swelling so decided to roll with it __ "__G__iven your intel has reported only Rafale m. __However w__ith __T__hree __S__trikes, you'll reduce them to a single digit." _

"_We'll do more than that." Trigger boasted as Specter 1 called in that the barrier was 20 percent complete._

"_Debris form the downed aircraft is landing in the water." one of the submarine crew told the captain as eight __SLUAV __launched from the sub._

_They split into two pairs of four heading for Specter 1 and 4 "Let me know when the bodies…I mean the debris stops raining." Torres looked at his monitor as the drone's video feed came in._

_Long caster's voice came on the radio "We're detecting additional uavs! Intercept them!"_

_The Strider squadron broke formation with Count and Trigger heading for the pair while Jaeger and Huxian went for the group heading for Specter 4._

_Trigger spotted the uavs crossing his path but couldn't line up a laser cannon shot so choose his ASRAAMs and fired his first which destroyed the drone "Well another drone down just one less in the world."_

_Count was hot on the second SLUAV which was a little slippery but a quick AMRAAM dispatched it. "Right them where are the other two?" Count looked for the other two but couldn't see them._

"_Specter 3 has a bandit closing protect Specter." Lanza's call was clear as Trigger and Count turned around and accelerated towards Specter 3. Trigger got good tone from his ASRAAM and fired his second one turning the third into scrap._

_Huxian was pursuing the fourth SLUAV as the passed Specter 2 when the UAV which fired a missile but Huxian destroyed the little pest with her cannon. _

_Jaeger had the fifth UAV__ on his six but barrel rolled then pulled a vertical loop and got behind the UAV which like his teammates he destroyed with a missile. _

_The sixth UAV fired a missile on Specter 4 but Skald's first missile caused the UAV to break off and Skald blew it out of the sky with his second._

"_Do you have a moment?" David asked unaware of the battle going on between the __UAVs__ and the LRSSG._

"_What's up?" Count asked the analyst as Lanza downed the seventh UAV with a burst of 20mm cannon fire._

"_Two groups of demonstrators have clashed! People are running away!" Trigger wondered how he knew that "I see lots of signs held up! There are even banners flying in the air! They're advertising drones."_

_Trigger thought for a minute as he found the eighth and final UAV taking care of it with his lasers "Hostile confirmed down!" the voice from Specter sounded female and happy upbeat one too._

_Another voice who Trigger suspected was one of the flight crew spoke up "Told ya so! Three Strikes has got our back!"_

_Count realised the only way David could know what was going on down on the ground "What, you're in Oured?!" _

"_Well Yeah I live here! I haven't solved the terminal guidance mystery either." both Trigger and Count knew what David should be doing but Trigger thought about those advertising drones._

"_I meant, why aren't you running?" Count thought David should be getting to safety and beyond the impact radius of ground zero._

_David however had expected this "Hey you guys aren't running, are you?"_

_Huxian let out a laugh "Damm Right."_

"_Running?… wait running? Yes those drones aren't running away!" David's words told them that he was onto something._

"_What do you mean?!" Count asked him but Trigger rolled his having had his suspicions confirmed that the advertising drones were the terminal guidance markers. _

"_I call you back!...Alex, I need you to check something!" no sooner had David finished when Specter 2 reported that the barrier was at 45% _

_Wiseman from looking at the radar knew it was quiet but wouldn't stay that way for long "Trigger, the other guys are standing their ground, but in the end its all down to you. Do us proud!" _

_Trigger liked hearing Wiseman's words of encouragement when another Specter radio call came in "70% of Sonobuoys dropped!" _

"_Just a little more!" Count sounded very hopeful but the calm reprieve was about to end as more uavs appeared on radar._

_ Long Caster's call was not what Trigger wanted to hear _"_All aircraft be advised. Our radar picked up new hostiles. ten __SLUAV__."_

_Trigger had a plan forming in his mind "Long Caster send the targeting data to the other eagles, Strider, Cyclops once you get the data let' em have it with all your AMRAAMs."_

_The AWACS operators worked to send the __data to the eagles who immediately opened fire with nine separate explosions filling the air. "Nice shooting there is still one left!"_

_T__rigger barrel rolled his eagle spotting the UAV making a run on Specter 1 but quickly like the others destroyed that one too._

_L__ong Caster felt his stomach growl but his attention was immediately drawn to the eight contacts that had just shown up "Confirming __eight __new hostile__s__ its the Alicorn fighters must be the rest of them."_

_Huxian looked for the jets and spotted one of them Zero 7 and went on the offensive. __Zero 8 could see the fight below "Break zero 7."_

_She __fir__ed__ her second missile which exploded near the wing root of the right wing sending it down in a spiral till it hit the water._

_"Zero 7 is down." __Zero 8 lowered his visor but__ noticed the ship__s__ turning towards them but Skald already had missile lock on him and fired his third AMRAAM destroying Zero 8 who ejected but Skald knew bailing out was also certain death._

_"Zero 8 has been shot down" __Two-1 called as the osean fleet entered radar range. __He spotted Trigger climbing away from him __"__The aircraft with three scars... We've lost many because of him!" he thought that he would have an easy kill unaware that of Trigger's plan. _

_Zero 9 broke off and targeted __Trigger __"__Zero 9 has taken the bait kill him!" _

_T__he canary's vls battery __opened up __One-0 saw the missile trail and frantically radio__ "Zero 9 missile missile!" The ESSM missile __made short work of him."Damm it zero 9 has been shot do-" One-0 never finished his radio call as a SAM from the destroyer rooster took him out._

_"Friendly down its one-__0-__." __One-1 barely got in his transmission as he hit the water from a hit by a SAM form the seagull._

_"Shit one 2 is do-." One-2 were promptly shot out of the sky by SAM form the G__rebe._

_Lanza had the last Rafale __Two-1__ in his cross-hairs __firing a second missile sending the last Rafale into the sea._

_A missile warning screeched in Trigger's cockpit as six mica em missiles streaked towards him "Trigger break." Jaeger called as Trigger dumped countermeasures. A lone Rafale m approached ignoring everyone else._

"_Its time to die __T__hree__ S__trikes, your time to die!__" voice shouted gunning it for Trigger who banked hard ducking into a cloud. Trigger knew his lasers would be useless but __his cannon wasn't. Trigger dropped below the clouds._

"_Is it those dammed bats again?" Count asked wonder if they were back for round 3._

"_No you fucking idiot!" the voice sounded more pissed._

"_Well Captain Louis use that anger to take him down and avenge everyone he's killed." Torres wanted Trigger dead._

"_What the hell did I do you Louis!?" Trigger had no idea what he did __to this man to make him so angry._

"_You killed my family you bastard they were at Artigilio when you bombed it and then you killed my girlfriend at the same place 10 days ago so how about I kill that sister of your to make it even." Louis turned his jet towards the fleet. _

"_You are not harming anyone motherfucker, no-one __threatens my family and lives!" Trigger saw Louis's jet cross his path and firing multiple laser blasts into the fuselage._

_Trigger banked hard right popping his air brakes and spotted __him__ firing another burst of pulse laser fire. __Louis's jet__ exploded as Trigger banked hard left __to avoid the debris__ but 30mm bullet__s__ hit the airframe. the destroyed Rafale flew by Trigger's jet inches from his tail. __Louis's jet crashed into the rocky island mountains __shattering into little bits._

"_Avril's not going to be happy about this." Trigger thought to himself._

"_All sonobuoys dropped! Barrier completed!" Specter 1 called as Count knew that all of Specter were alive."All of us getting out alive wasn't in our calculations! we owe you!" _

_Count laughed lightly musing that another squadron made it out alive so far thanks to Trigger "You really can't calculate outcomes when you've got an x-factor with you."_

_The Specter crews worked through the data "Signal analysis complete! Data linking the Alicorn's navigable zones!" a green ring appeared on Trigger's HUD._

_Long caster held his finger over the button to send the signal to the mad pod "The Alicorn's somewhere inside that ring! Activating the mad pod!"_

_"The submarine may be huge but it's still gonna be like looking for needle in a haystack." Trigger rolled his at Lanza's comment._

_"Lanza you have an unsurpassed talent for understatement." Trigger was looking for the submarine from the sky but couldn't see anything._

_Skald while continuing his scan for any threats "Do titanium hulls even leave magnetic footprints?"_

_"With its size, it would be impossible not to. All the deperming measures in the world won't change that!" Jeager chimed in as he scanned the sky for threats._

_"Would've been so much easier if it could sing and let us know where it was." Count scoffed as Trigger knew what movie Count was referring to._

_"They were in silent running. Doubt they even breathed let alone sang." Jeager replied having seen the same film._

_A mad icon appeared on Trigger's HUD "Trigger do you know how to use the mad?" Trigger tried to remember but couldn't._

"_Sorry Long Caster its been years since I did this so a refresh would be nice." Long caster and Wiseman had expected that given how long it was since the experiment._

"_Do you see the waveform indicator above your HUD?" Trigger leaned back climbing to __55__00 feet while accelerating to 4__9__0 knots. The mad went red._

"_T__he Mad won't function at high speeds. Fly slower than 430 knots." Long caster noted Trigger's altitude "Trigger your altitude is too high descend to 600 feet."_

_Trigger throttled back and descended towards the sea "Fly over the search area and look for a location that induces a change in the waveform._

_Trigger levelled off at 600 feet as his speed dropped to 400 knots. He could hear the beeps much better than he did years ago "__This is going better than it did years ago." Trigger listened to the mad frequency getting a clear sound._

_"All aircraft except Trigger you're on contingent combat air patrol." Long Caster __wanted Trigger protected while he looked for the submarine. _

_The beeps got louder as Trigger turned to a 75 degree heading "Okay Trigger. Your mad's getting someth__ing. The waveform should have peaked."_

_T__rigger listened for the hum of mad giving off strong signals__ "T__rigger your mad's showing a stronger reaction. The Alicorn must be near."_

_S__kald felt like they were going fishing right now __"You set the hook now just got to reel it in!" _

_T__rigger looked on his HUD as the Alicorn __appeared "Picking up a magnetic signature." no sooner had Long Caster finished talked when suddenly the hud glitch__ed__ and a sharp buzzing ran through the helmet._

"_Ahh!" Trigger reached for the audio control to turn down the volume."_

"_Trigger you alright?" Laura __asked concerned for her brother ran clear in her voice."_

"_Trigger! You okay speak to me dumbass!" Trigger recognised the voice right away. He didn't need ringing in his ears to know she was worried about him._

"_Signature lost! I'm seeing a strong noise from the mad's signal!" __Trigger had to wait till his ears stopped ringing._

"_Yeah I'm fine sis, __Avril__ and n__o shit Long Caster!" __Trigger held his course looking for the buoys since he had a feeling this would happen cause this was the one of the tricks the Emmerian navy had done during the original experiment._

_"Shit! they predicted we'd use an mad!" __David said but Trigger wasn't surprised at all. _

"_Seems like this is our contingency." Count's response fell on deaf ears as Trigger steadied himself, his frustration growing seeing history repeat itself as it did years ago._

_Trigger's response with filled with frustration __"__Well of fucking course __they would you dumbass,__ the navy experiment I took part in is in my air force file and be__low__ it was a grade __and evaluation __on my performance with the mad!" __he dropped to 500 feet looking for the telltale ripples of the buoys breaking the surface. _

"_Shit!" __Wiseman hated that Trigger's own file was being used against them._

"_Does anyone see the source of the noise on the ocean surface? It's likely similar to a buoy!" Trigger noticed multiple splashes on the surface as buoy popped up._

"_I don't have a window, so I don't know about buoys, but I'm detecting strong radio sources!" Long Caster only made Trigger more annoyed. _

"_For fuck's sake there are six jammer buoys near my position destroy them now!" Everyone even on the navy ships could tell Trigger wasn't happy._

"_Correct! That's it!" David's tone didn't help as Serpentina streaked across the water._

"_Sending the location of the jamming devices, Destroy them!" each of the pilots HUDs updated with the locations of the jammers. Count dove on the first buoy sinking it with a short cannon burst._

_Trigger winced as his ears began hurting __and ringing again__ as the sound of an underwater explosion echoed through the mad to both Specter and Trigger "__Sorry Boss __Jaeger knew too many loud noise posed a risk to Trigger. _

_Laura targeted the second buoy with her GCS-1 dropping and pulled away as the munitions struck the buoy sinking it. "What the…?! A huge explosion just went off underwater!"_

_Trigger couldn't make out Count's radio call as his ears were still ringing. "An explosion?! Patrol aircraft, what's happening underwater?" _

_Specter 2's news was not what anyone wanted to hear "Underwater listening is impossible! We're only hearing explosion echoes and our mad operators are complaining of ringing through the headsets like Three Strikes was."_

"_The Alicorn will use the noise for cover and head out at full speed!" Laura wanted to say something at David for stating the obvious but chose not to._

_Jeager fired on the third buoy with his cannon while the fourth one was destroyed by Laura's second GCS-1._

_Long Caster jumped in again "Destroy the jamming buoys before the submarine escapes!" _

"_Full speed ahead!" Torres told his helmsman who advanced the power._

"_Aye sir." the helmsman responded watching as the speed increased_

_Count knew that they'd fail if the sub got into the trench seemingly forgetting about the osean naval mines. "Don't let them get away."_

"_Damm it! Specter, I need you to recalculate the submarine's location once the noise dies down!" _

_Trigger couldn't hear much of David's words over the buzzing of buoys._

_Long Caster and Wiseman watched as Skald destroyed the fifth buoy while Lanza sank the sixth one with burst of cannon fire._

_One of the crew spotted objects ahead knowing just what they were "Shit minefield ahead!" Torres expected this and knew what to do._

"_Hard to starboard full reverse on the engines." The Alicorn crew worked frantically to turn the huge behemoth away from the mines "We'll have to go along the trench to find an opening."_

"_Can we make it?" Huxian asked as the jamming noises ceased but Trigger waited till his ears stopped ringing."Where are you metal shark?"_

"_The last jamming buoy has been destroyed!" Long Caster's words were music to Trigger's ears as the mad was quiet._

_Lanza asked how things were and Specter 3 told him that they were waiting for the sonobuoys to respond much to Huxian's frustration when Specter called in again._

"_Analysis done! Data linking!" Specter 2 sent the data to Long Caster who sent the location to Trigger. He brought his jet around throttling up and racing to the search zone at speed._

"_The Alicorn has almost reached the trench! Time's running out!" David's comment didn't help him as he approached the search area._

"_It's okay, Trigger's already on the hunt!" Count watched his flight lead race on the deck._

"_Strider, Cyclops. We don't have much time left!" Wiseman's words were not subtle but Count thought about what he could say._

"_Don't you worry! Trigger will find it!" Wiseman felt a little reassured._

_Eight more uavs launched from the Alicorn "Confirming more hostile UAVs! They just launched from the Alicorn!" Long Caster's words shocked everyone cause that was impossible._

_Huxian couldn't believe that the submarine had launched them from underwater "It can launch them underwater?!"_

_Everyone fired their remaining AMRAAMs taking out six of the eight but two avoided the missiles. "If you can splash even one it will make it that much easier for Trigger. The two uavs passed Trigger who promptly destroyed them with the laser cannons_

_Huxain__ felt a little guilty having seen her flight lead do so much and yet __her __AMRAAM__s missed __and went after Trigger. __"Trigger's given me so much cover and I still...Shit I'm just pathetic!" Trigger wanted to say something __reassuring __to Huxian but couldn't find the words. _

_Wiseman's voice was stern knowing time was running out "Double-time it, Trigger! We're counting on it!" Trigger altered course till he was at 243 degrees with a strong reaction from the mad pod._

_The beeping got louder as Trigger flew that head when the Alicorn appeared again on everyone's radar "You've reeled it in! Positive hit on the mad!" Count was overjoyed "Strider 1 found the Submarine Alicorn!"_

_Cheers erupted among the patrol aircraft crew "All that flying around paid off" Specter 1 and Long Caster forwarded the data to the navy ships._

_Count knew the job wasn't finished yet "We ain't done yet. Give it the finishing blow!"_

"_Target co-ordinates received. Commence preparations to fire the V__L-ASROC__!" the commander of the canary called over the intercom as the captain got a call form the anti-submarine that there was not problems._

"_V__L-ASROC__ ready for launch!" the canary captain called as Trigger begin turning away form the Alicorn. His nimble jet was out the strike zones._

"_Line of fire is clear. Ready!"_

"_Fire all missiles!" __the commanders on each ships pressed the button. "__Fire!" in the glow of the setting sun__ twenty-four __ASROCs__ launched from the __three __destroye__rs. The canary's __V__L-ASROC __cells opened up firing all twenty. S__eahawk helicopters launched from the Canary intending to act if any ships got sunk by Alicorn. "__All anti-submarine missiles launched."_

_The __ASROCs__ reached a certain height beginning their descent in parachutes as Trigger climbed in a slicing bank turn at full power "Report the results!"_

_The ASROC__s hit the water exploding one after the other. "Did we get them?" one of the rooster's crew asked out on the deck. _

_**Onboard the sub**_

_The submarine shook violently "Captain we've been hit damage to the UAV launchers." one of the deck crew called out as alarms rang throughout the bridge._

"_Do we have any coolant leaks?" one of the crew asked who got a panicked response "No but we have four in critical condition in reactor control."_

"_We'll have to fight them above the surface." Torres ordered, the sub crew started the surfacing process._

**_On the _****_surface_**

_The bow of the alicorn broke the surface climbing as if it were going up a hill while seawater drained from the forward ballast tanks. The bow hung in the air for a few seconds before dropping back into the water "Alicorn spotted; Its surfacing!"_

_T__he water sent into the air in water looked like multiple underwater explosions glowing in the fading light of the sunset as the sub settled on the surface. __The sub turned towards the osean fleet as the small railguns emerged. "Shit osean ships move it." _

"_Surfacing?! We haven't sunk it?" Lanza's comment fell on deaf ears as Skald saw what was about to happen._

"_It's attacking our fleet!" _

_C__ount hit his canopy frustrated "Son of a…! We didn't hit 'em!"_

"_You're wrong, Count! We've backed them into a corner and damaged their UAV launcher!"__ T__he LRSSG could only watch as small guns open fire gutting the canary and seagull, sailors __ran off the deck jumping into the sea. _

_Trigger accelerated to mach 1 firing laser cannon blasts at the starboard rail gun scoring hits "They're vulnerable now that they've surfaced! Follow up on Trigger!" the missile alert blared as the vls opened up._

_Each of the LRSSG acknowledged the order as frantic call were heard from the canary "Crew prepare to abandon ship!" Trigger mentally kicked himself for not being faster._

"_We can't drain it! Evacuate-" the call coming from the seagull cut off as the ship sank quickly aft first._

"_We've lost Destroyer Seagull and Aegis vessel Canary!" the captain of the rooster called out over the radio as the grebe and rooster and Seahawk helicopters moved in to rescue survivors._

_Trigger came around firing his lasers on the no.2 forward ballast tank getting cwis bullets into his plane for good measure but pulled out of his attack run but came around firing on the no.2 rear ballast tank "The two years that we fought at the bottom of the sea… I will not allow our perseverance to desecrated!" _

_The small railguns moved tracking Trigger's movements "You're being locked onto by the railguns! Increase your speed and run Trigger!" Long Caster didn't want Trigger to become another victim of the railguns._

_Trigger's lasers burned the hull as he snap turned into a climb adding power knowing it would cost him fuel "If one of those railguns hit us, we'll be torn into a million pieces! Throttle up!" _

_Count's words were sharp as what he heard next from Wiseman. "They'll be looking for aircraft as well! Don't flutter about!"_

_Trigger continued turning pulled hard using his air brakes to increase his then dove on the alicorn as the railguns fired then pulled up. "It's using its main guns for anti-air combat!" Trigger rolled his eyes ignoring Skald's useless radio call."_

_Huxian came in low firing her missiles destroying both rear SAM launchers. _

_Trigger pulled another slice turn as he heard a faint transmission form the submarine 'Engine room 1 is flooding start draining asap.' just he came around for another attack run the Alicorn began to dive beneath the waves._

"_The Alicorn is diving!" Jeager as Trigger aborted his attack run levelling off and formed a new plan._

_The submarine slipped beneath the water "The ballast tanks should be damaged! It will have to surface again soon!" Trigger wonder to himself how David knew that but didn't have a chance to ask._

_Torres came over the comms again much to Trigger's displeasure as he'd hoped the __ASROC__s had killed Torres who was clearly too stubborn to quit "There's no means of retreat! We'll have to kill them all if we are to live! If you wish to live, then you must let go of your life!"_

"_Specter Squadron will continue surveillance! We might be able to locate it if its about to surface." Trigger waited for the submarine to come up and thought up a plan._

_Long Caster watched his radar like a hawk when the patrol plane radio sounded "We've picked up the Alicorn underwater!" Trigger came around seeing the Alicorn surfacing._

"_Need to destroy the cwis..Specter are you guys armed with anti-ship weapons?"_

_The Specter pilots looked at each other confused as to why they were being asked "Affirmative we have four ASM-3 cruise and ASM-1C anti-ship missiles why?"_

_"Well i have an idea and you'll have to trust me on this Long Caster send the targets to Specter now!" the crew of the AWACS data linked the targets to the P-1s. "Specter squadron fire ASM-1C missiles 1,2,3 and 4."_

_The __ASM-1C__s dropped off the p-1's __wing__ streaking towards the __Alicorn whose cwis guns destroyed the first, second and third waves of ASM-1s __but the fourth wave destroyed all four cwis guns "Nice shooting now fire cruise missiles and destroy the ship guns."_

_A__n ASM-3 dropped from each plane heading for the ship guns and taking them out._

_T__he main gun battery fired again "That's it! Keep firing! Crush their lives under the weight of your lead!" the guns fired again but missed the Super Viper Zero. _

"_Concentrate all firepower on the assaulting aircraft!" one the gunner told his __colleague who spammed the fire button launching shell after shell._

_Multiple UFO like uavs launched from the Alicorn "Flying objects have been launched from the Alicorn! They have different signatures from the uavs we've seen!" at the moment that Trigger approached the uavs, Specter opened fire with a second volley of ASM-3 cruise missiles._

_Trigger's HUD id them as barrier drone which burst open small em barriers like the ones he'd seen on the arsenal birds bathing the eagle in an eerie green glow "The small uavs have activated em barriers!" _

_The cruise missiles that Specter fired hit the barriers destroying them Huxian recognised how they looked "I have visual! They look similar to the arsenal bird's defense system!" Trigger knew instantly what to do having seen the fate that befell Skeleton squadron over Chopinburg when they got caught in the field._

_Lanza's cheerful excitement seemed to wain upon seeing that "What do we do then?! We don't have Stonehenge to bust through them." the sound of a railgun firing broke Trigger's train of thought as he looked back to see the Alicorn diving again._

_Trigger knew on his next attack run he was going for the small railguns cause they posed a big threat to the squadrons when everyone's insane sea captain started up "My fellow submariners! Your lives carry weight! It gives you the right to take the lives of others!" _

_Trigger watched as the Alicorn surfaced then he made his move throttling up towards the railguns. The gunners had no time to rotate the guns as Trigger pressed the button releasing his first and second unguided small munitions. The first smashed into the guns punching a hole in the __port __turret knocking it out. "Shit __direct hit on __main __gun __its wrecked__!"_

"_Awesome that's one horn snapped off." Skald sounded very eager but knew the second munition was yet to blow._

_T__he second small unguided munition hit the starboard turret splitting it open "We've lost both of our main guns!" Torres looked miffed. _

_Torres came back on "What we have to do is simple! I give the orders and you snuff out the target! __Fire all weaponry at Three Strikes! Ignore all other aircraft!" The Alicorn vls opened with all its missiles heading for Trigger who spotted a pair of rock mountains and gunned it for them ducking behind them as missiles exploded on the rocks._

"_All railguns have been destroyed." __Long Caster's call was uplifting to everyone and Wiseman felt a swelling of hope that they'd win._

"_Hahaha! Trigger tore both of its arms off!" __Trigger could tell Count was confident but Jaeger knew that the Alicorn might have more than one pair of railguns._

"_Don't let your guard down! There's no guarantee that monster only has a pair of them!" Trigger could understand Jaeger's caution and was ready to call on Specter or Serpentina to destroy them if they showed another pair. _

_Laura start an attack run coming dropping her first large unguided munition on the port vls cell then pulled up as the munition hit its target wrecking the vls cells and dropped her second large unguided munition on the starboard cell with the same result "Shit captain we've lost __rail guns, __cwis, ship guns and __now__ the vls."_

_M__ore barrier drones launched and burst open as Trigger aborted his attack run swiftly manoeuvring his way through the em field. _

_T__rigger brought his jet__ around but the Alicorn dove once more. "Dammit Captain surface I'm sick of waiting for you."_

_a __new __but__ familiar voice returned to the radio __"Hello this is North. What is the situation over there?"_

_"We've got a moment or two sit-rep?" __Count asked him as he looked up at the drones._

_"It's the advertising drones! these guys are doing terminal guidance!" __David's words confirmed Trigger's suspicions. _

_L__anza could hear the nerves in David's voice __"Hey, hey chill!"_

_"There are advertising drones flying above the __demonstrators__! They're perfect for Terminal guidance! but your opponent is that captain... I'll call you back!...Alex, how far away is the closet air base?" __he asked his ai who went to work._

_"Roughly 51 miles." __the voice sounded female but Trigger had a better idea._

"_Better idea shoot those drones down and you terminate his terminal guidance." David mused on Trigger's suggestion as he went off radio._

_Torres watching the events above and onboard knew the endgame would be soon "Yes don't you see the lives being lost? Completion is at hand! The souls of the dead are coming together like a puzzle!" Trigger didn't have to wait much longer as the Alicorn surfaced again._

_Trigger snapped roll and raced towards the Alicorn targeting the first rear ballast tank __releasing his third small munition then pulled up. The mun__i__tion struck the rear ballast tank puncturing it._

_The ship listed slightly as the shockwave spread throughout the sub __"__Bomb hit__!__ The pressure hull near the ballast tank has sustained damage __but how?__!" _

_A__vril knew how "Special delivery bastards straight from the Scrap Queen to your hull. Trigger how do you like the armour piercing munitions?"_

"_I love them where can I get some for later?" Trigger grinned loving the custom weaponry he had gotten form the Scrap Queen as he bombed the second rear ballast tank._

_Huxian flew alongside the sub seeing burn and impact marks __"__Trigger's attack hit can visually confirm hull damage!" Lanza fired two of his missiles into the hull causing more damage_

"_Fissures in the pressure hull __Shit __Keep the drain pump running at full power it will be a while before we sink." __The crewmen worked hard to keep the ship afloat."_

_One of the reactor __controllers__ turned to his colleague __"__Do we have any coolant leaks?"_

_He looked at the levels which were dropping fast "Yeah but don't worry the boat won't survive if it goes under now." _

_The reactor controller looked at the radiation gauge then back at her colleague "Check the radiation level every 5 minutes."_

_Over in another part of the submarine it was chaos. One injured crew-member looked at the rear ballast tanks "Mbt is taking on water we're leaking from multiple locations."_

_The intercom blared "Multiple casualties on deck number unknown!" followed by a frantic call "Oxygen generator damaged we can no longer supply oxygen!"_

"_We're sinking even if the reactor's no good! Focus on anti-air combat!" one of the gunners looked at the command duty officer with aghast._

"_With what exactly all our aa weapons are either destroyed or damaged." the console overloaded and exploded behind the gunner killing him instantly._

_Torres could tell that the ship was in chaos as the ew crew activated their defenses __"__The outer hull has been damaged and we have water flooding into the main ballast tanks." __a 5__th__ crew-member radioed as the crew continued damaged control._

**_O__utside the ship _**

_Jeager flew over the ship when his HUD glitched out "Long caster my HUD is glitching! Trigger, Count, How are things over there?"_

_Trigger and Count told Jaeger that they had the same problem when Long Caster's tired voice waltzed in "We've identified the source of the jamming signal its the Alicorn!"_

_Count groaned now realising just how hard sinking the sub was turning out to be "And i thought sinking a surfaced sub would be easy!"_

"_Trigger, the drones can be destroyed before they activate their barriers." David's words made Trigger quickly think of something as he came around seeing more barrier uavs but as he made his pass he destroyed two more uavs._

"_That's a pretty small window! But I know Trigger can pull it off!" Trigger couldn't help but feel lifted up by Lanza'__s encouragement._

_Specter ripple fired their 3__rd__ and 4__th__ ASM-3 but just like before the em drones blocked them frustrating the Specter crews._

_The hud updated with the jammer but Trigger was already on it but the Alicorn slipped underwater before Trigger could fire his lasers "Damm it."_

"_The Alicorn has submerged! Wait for the next opportunity to attack." __Trigger was growing more tired at the Alicorn submerging and surfacing since he knew they were stalling to avoid their destruction._

_Trigger checked his fuel gauge seeing he had under half his fuel tank left so throttle back to conserve fuel when the friendly neighbour hood analyst came back "Hello!"_

_"We're in the middle of a search. How are things?" __Count asked him as Trigger thought about what the osean military would do._

_"We're going to jam this entire region using the air force's ew aircraft __and shoot down the advertising drones as per Trigger's suggestion__!"_

_"Woah" __Lanza's comment of surprise was natural to David as no-one had attempted to jam an entire city's airspace before due how impractical it was. _

_Trigger had a good idea what the OADF and OMDF would be using__ "So the new EF-111F Ravens and navy EA-18G Growlers will be used __I bet__."_

_S__kald tried to imagine what that would look like in his head__ "__T__hat's a big bang!"_

_David knew the only major drawback__ "All radios will be disabled! Controlling the drones and terminal guidance will be impossible! its crude but effective."_

_"Bastard!" __Huxian called amused that the analyst was using crude tactics now._

_"Cell phones will stop working too. This might be our last call!" __David prepared to hang up but Count quickly wanted to say one thing._

"_Trigger do you think you can attack the jamming devices?" Jaeger could guess that Trigger would do it anyway but felt it best to ask him beforehand._

_"Leave the rest to us!" __David went off as Trigger rolled in firing a burst destroying the jammer antenna as the Alicorn dove again. _

"_Ballast tanks have been damaged we can't maintain full buoyancy." __the Submarine __crewman__ could see that the submarine was more sluggish when surfacing._

_L__ong Caster having seen __the jamming disappear from his screen he knew what had happened__ "Trigger destroyed a jammer! Jamming signals no longer detected!"_

_"Quick at Work, just as always!" __Lanza commented amazed at Strider 1's work. _

"_Thanks Trigger!" Huxian followed up on Lanza's praise as the sound of a telephone echoed on the frequency._

_"Hello this is North What is the situation over there?" __Count and everyone was taken back that David was talking to them when the phones would be out by the jammer planes._

_C__ount wondered how so spoke up __"I thought you couldn't make calls any more?"_

_D__avid's tone sounded cheerful __"I'm using a pay phone! for the first time, too!"_

_T__rigger couldn't resist smiling as he spotted __t__he destroyers __G__rebe and __R__ooster come across the battle after having spent the last hour rescuing survivors from the destroyed osean ships but then had to pick up Seahawk crew who had to ditch their helicopters which __opened fire._

_5 inch shells flew through the air as the gunners tried to determine the range until a shell from each ship hit the forward ballast tanks rupturing them._

_Jaeger flew along side the submarine taking look at the damage done from all the attacks __"The enemy submarine's hull is __severely__ damaged! It won't be able to dive like that!"_

_Torres leaned back in his chair know most of his crew were injured or dead and that the submarine was defenceless. "We surrender."_

_Everyone was caught off guard but to Trigger something felt wrong about this. Count knew it too._

"_What?!" Huxian felt blind-sided cause the captain was doing the exact opposite of his goal._

"_What's going on." Lanza asked jumping in._

"_I know this voice." Skald commented as Trigger flew by the submarine._

"_This is the submarine aircraft cruiser Alicorn. We surrender! Stop shooting!" Torres pleaded knowing that they could sink him at any moment._

"_All aircraft cease fire!" Long Caster announced but at the back of his and Wiseman's minds they couldn't believe what they were hearing but asked themselves is this real._

"_That's a con man talking I should know as I was one." Count commented knowing every trick and this was one of them._

_In Huxian's mind these men didn't deserve to surrender given the number of lives they had taken during the raid on Anchorhead and to her they needed to be stopped "Let's just sink it."_

"_Negative! We can't attack those who have surrendered. It's a breach of international law." Long Caster looked at Wiseman who looked unsure since as much as he wanted to uphold international law the submarine posed a huge threat. _

"_I repeat we surrender!" Torres repeated while below the crew loaded the first nuclear shell into the cannon_

"_What do we do?" Huxian had no idea what to do as she had never had to deal with something like this before._

_Long Caster grew frustrated with the pilots who were protesting this except Trigger and Serpentina who had gone quiet "Weapon use is prohibited."_

_Count scoffed know that this was a ploy to keep them from interfering in his scheme "Why hold international law so dearly?"_

_Jaeger had taken a step back and thought about what would happen if they opened fire "We'll no longer be soldiers the moment we do."_

"_Then I'll happily quit my career." Count argued back not happy at all he wanted this over as much as everyone did._

"_DO NOT ATTACK!" Long Caster shouted which surprised everyone cause they never heard this from their AWACS before. Trigger quietly formed up with his sister._

"_We will surrender!" Torres pressed a button on the console "We are currently making preparations to be disarmed." _

_Trigger still felt like something was off but at the moment knew there wasn't much they could do "To all Strider and Cyclops and Specter aircraft hold your fire but keep whatever weapons you have left armed in case this whole surrender act is a lie." _

"_Sis select your ASM-3 and standby I don't trust this surrender at all and change to a different channel." Trigger wanted Long caster to hear that before he adjusted his frequency. Laura switched to a different radio frequency both knowing that Long Caster would hear them anyway. _

"_So Scott what's the plan?" Laura asked him knowing he had a plan._

"_Simple Laura if the Alicorn reveals its rail cannon which I would expect form this slimy snake, I'll attack the barrel to stop it form firing while you let him with cruise missiles."_

_Laura knew in her heart that was the only way but a nagging thought occurred to her "Isn't that disobeying orders which if I remember rightly would be a one way ticket to another penal unit." _

_Wiseman and Long Caster listening in knew what they were doing was against orders but Wiseman knew that Trigger was right this was going end one way or the other. __"__It probably would be __but frankly I don't fucking care this ends today and I will do whatever it takes to end this here and now!__."_

"_Scott if we do this then I'll gladly take the court martial with you as family." Laura knew where she stood if they had to break the law to save lives then so be it._

"_I'm David North, an analyst at the Osean Intelligence Agency. Captain, we have already jammed your terminal guidance over Oured and shot down your drones. Your shot will miss the mark."_

_Torres started recount a story from the usean rebellion as Trigger observed movement The Alicorn's deck opened up revealing the massive rail cannon which raised up towards Oured "Your plan was elegant until Three strikes ruined it."_

"_David the cannon!" Laura called out as Trigger started moving towards the ship intent to stop them._

"_They have no intention to surrender! Stop them, Trigger!" Trigger saw the cannon preparing to fire and punched the throttles all the way up to full power "Hit the barrel Trigger hurry!"_

"_Sis let's em have it." Trigger called as Laura without hesitation fired her ASM-__3__s__ that left her wing streaking at supersonic speed as Trigger sped towards the Alicorn. __Trigger focused on the cannon blocking out everything since if he didn't find a way to stop that cannon then thousands of lives would be lost, men, women, children, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, sisters and brothers all snuffed out in pointless act._

_He'd not let that happen no mater what "This ends now!" He shouted over the radio as the eagle broke the sound barrier he didn't care about the rules or his fuel state that was irrelevant all that mattered with human life._

"_Wait Trigger." Lanza said in vain seeing Trigger had made his Sophie's choice._

_Long Caster saw Trigger's jet charging towards the alicorn at near mach 2 "Stop attack immediately." _

_Trigger ignored both of them focusing on his target as __the A__S__M-__3__s__ hit the barr__iers__ as Trigger __got in close enough and simultaneously fired __both his missiles__ into the barrel then pulled into a slicing left hand climbing turn __firing a burst of cannon and laser fire __as the barrel dropped firing off its shot._

"_It fired!" Skald sounded horrified that they'd failed as Trigger levelled off but David knew Trigger had done part of what he needed to do._

"_Its okay, the shell will miss!" he told them as an osean navy ship broke over the frequency._

_"This is the satellite tracking ship Silver eye! the nuclear shell is heading for the Spring sea!" Trigger felt relief that the first shot had missed and now was ready to end this. _

"_What happened?!" Torres asked his crew surprised at what he'd just seen. "Load the next shell!"_

"_That's a blatant violation of direct orders you dumbass but you made a statement right there, didn't you Trigger?" Count scoffed chuckling lightly to himself._

_Wiseman knew that international law no longer applied now that the Alicorn fired "All aircraft destroy the Alicorn! I'd hate to be in that submarine right now."_

_Everyone responded as Trigger moved in firing lasers before breaking off for another attack run "Aim for the base of the rail cannon!" the Rooster and the Grebe opened up with their naval guns pounding dents into the hull._

_The gunnery officer to use to use the fire control system but it wasn't responding "FCS error we can't raise the elevation of the barrel and the capacitors are damaged!"_

"_Three Strikes in the sky is the sign of an ill omen!" he said as everyone looked at him know the end was near._

"_Captain!" the injured command duty officer was in horror as water and steam filled compartments._

_An explosion threw the gunnery officer from his chair as Torres took the seat "All slow ahead! Flood the aft trim tanks!" Laura brought her jet around firing her missiles and lasers weakening the rail cannon base._

"_Sir the boat will sink aft first the reactors have gone into meltdown!" the command duty officer felt it was all over but couldn't overrule Matias._

"_And that will give the gun the elevation it needs!" he laughed evilly as 5 inch perforated the hull blowing out values and starting fires. Lanza fired his last missile hitting the barrel. "Don't you see Three Strikes? Ten million lives will be saved at the cost of a mere million lives!" _

_David could tell Torres was insane as Skald fired his two remaining missiles and cannon further damaging the rail canon base "You liar You're nothing more than a mass murderer! We won't let you!"_

_Long caster's radar showed hits being scored on the rail cannons "Good! Your attacks are hitting the base of the rail cannon!"_

"_A powerful boat, a powerful gun, powerful ammunition! Add in lots of people and a precise aim! Then sprinkle death over it and the formula is complete!" Matias stayed in his seat as systems continued failing._

_Trigger getting tired as he circled again cause the angle wasn't right for his bomb run "You're nothing more than a killer!" David retorted at Matias who growled as the capacitors slowly built up their energy._

"_Then indulge me North! What makes Three strikes any different form me? He's going to kill the three hundred men on this boat to save a million. How is that any different!?"_

_David was tired of all as was everyone else. Count fired all four of his missile further damaging the rail cannon base which had a noticeable dent in the hull "Trigger give him the answer! Have him take it to the bottom of the ocean!"_

_One of the wounded crewmen looked at the gauges "Supercapacitor at 45% reactor temperature rising fast! Pitch angle at 2 degrees! Shit Three Strikes is wait for the right angle Captain close the aft trim tanks."_

_His pleas fell on deaf ear to Matias as another crew member kicked the capacitor trying to help get it to full power. "60%"_

"_Trigger destroy the sub." Wiseman's voice were clear that Trigger had carte blanche to sink the submarine._

"_Don't hesitate! They quit being soldiers the moment they faked their surrender!" Jaeger knew what had to be done and that Three Strikes was the only one who could."_

_Torres let out a maniacal laugh "Don't you see?! Don't you see?!" he ranted on about landing a clean shot on a difficult target and how it was elegant and beautiful but to Trigger it was none of those things. _

"_Finish him off, Trigger!" David shouted knowing Trigger would strike as the other LRSSG members gave Trigger more encouragement. _

_The crew still on the bridge watched as the bridge filled with steam while the capacitors continued powering up "At plus 4."_

"_Alas you don't see, Three Strikes! Of course you wouldn't!" Trigger flew under the barrel and brought his jet in a wide 90 degree slice turn._

_Trigger knew the best way to hit the base although it was the most dangerous when Wiseman came over his radio "Trigger end this!" _

_He pulled the Eagle out of its slicing turn now aligned dead with the base of the cannon._

_"At plus 5 full charge everyone grab something." The submarine crewman shouted out but saw Trigger closing in and sat down knowing his fate was sealed._

_Trigger charged at the cannon base firing laser and cannon rounds "Captain time to go!" Trigger releasing his last two unguided bombs which dropped into the base of the cannon punching through the base unit deep inside the ship. _

"_Commence firing!" Torres ordered reaching for the button but the two bombs exploded tearing through the cannon base as a fireball shot into the sky. _

_Trigger's Eagle climbed away in vertical slicing turn slightly sooting the belly and magnetic anomaly detector pod._

_The Eagle and Super Viper Zero formed up as the cannon collapsed "Confirming explosion the rail cannon has been destroyed Trigger that was a reckless thing for you to do you could have been killed." Huxian sounded annoyed at him for being so reckless with his life._

_Everyone cheered as Torres reached for the mic "Don't you see? One million! One million lives!" _

_They could all hear the sounds of laughter while seeing small pillars of red flame and electrical surge flow around the ship followed by explosions bursting from the hull. _

_Trigger looked back as a massive explosion tore the ship in two."A powder magazine must have exploded. The Alicorn has split in two!"_

_Huxian was silent for a moment as she took in what happened "He really pulled it off." she couldn't believe that Trigger was capable of all that "That was unbelievable." _

"_Yeah it totally was." Count knew what he witnessed was way out of his league as much he hated to admit to himself Trigger was way better than him._

"_And that's our final answer." David despite not being there knew that Three Strikes had saved them all._

_The Alicorn's two halves pitch forward as the stern section sank beneath the waves followed by the bow the titanium groaned as it slipped beneath the waves. _

_Moments later a massive underwater explosion rocked the Rooster and sent a huge column of water high into the sky which started raining down on the two remaining Osean ships. _

_Trigger knew the explosion had to be the two nuclear reactors exploding."Those ships and the crew who got soaked will need decontamination procedures since that water was probably radioactive." _

_Trigger and the others formed up as Trigger scanned the sea for any survivors of the Alicorn but couldn't see any "I see multiple floating objects in the waves. I don't think there are any survivors Wiseman!"_

_Jeager checked the sea himself and only debris "I concur with Trigger looks like the Alicorn went down with all hands lost Wiseman." _

"_Copy that. The enemy submarine has been destroyed. Operation is complete." __Wisema__n__ leaned back to catch his breath as __e__veryone fell quiet but Trigger started calculating the best height to conserve what fuel he had left cause he knew it wasn't enough to make it all the way back. _

_David's voice when he came back calm and collected __"__There are those who send those around them to their doom. Like Captain Matias Torres, who was devil incarnate. But there are others… Others who show the way to everyone else. Those who stand at the forefront to cast a light. Those who follow them can't help but feel that they're in the right hands. That they'll make it. This is an era where there isn't a singular answer like a quiz question. The world awaits a hero to keep the torch aloft, banishing the darkness."_

_C__ount liked the poetry but felt it was too long__ "__Quite the poet but I can sum it up in a single sentence. Stick with Trigger and you'll make it."_

_J__aeger knew in his heart that he had two stories for his kid but the adventure they just completed didn't feel right that he told it __"__That's a story, I'__m gonna have__ to tell my kid __but this stor__y__ the hunt for the sub__marine__ is one I'll let __Trigger__ tell my kid__."_

_T__rigger smiled pulling a barrel roll then climbed vertical settling at 30,000 feet Trigger knew he had a fuel problem but didn't want to spoil things._

"_All aircraft and David, the operation is complete. Return to base and get some rest. Oh man finally time for some munchies. Could you hand the burger over there?" __One of the AWACS crew placed the plate in front of Graham who licked his lips but knew he couldn't eat the usual way "__Oh, and the knife and fork too, please." __Wiseman handed him the cutlery. _

_Trigger looked around to __the clear sky all round__ "__Enjoy your dinner Long __C__aster." Trigger said to himself as he looked __ahead seeing only sea for miles._

_Count's stomach rumbled __"Once I get back to base I'm heading to the mess hall." _

_Trigger couldn't help but agree since he hadn't eaten all day "Yeah once we get back I'm getting into my birthday treats guys."_

"_Happy birthday Scott!" Laura told him as the AWACS __operators played happy birthday over the frequency._

"_Thanks guys but I need your help now I'm really low on fuel so we need a tanker asap but I can get to just beyond Tyler island." Trigger throttle back a bit hoping to make it._

_**An hour later**_

_As the flight came over Tyler island "Wiseman I hate to be bother I need the tanker I'm almost out of fuel!" Trigger didn't like the prospect of having to ditch in the ocean but watched as he descend through 10,000 feet levelling off._

_A white and grey voyager tanker appeared off the starboard wing "Iun tanker 015 we received your call Trigger hold position we'll give you fuel._

_The tanker positioned itself ahead of Trigger and he moved his jet into position opening the fuel tanks "Contact established I need as much as you can spare!" the boom operator pumped jet fuel into the tanks of Trigger's bird while multiple extenders refuelled the others. _

_Count after separating from the refueller noted a name on the aircraft's nose "Who's Nathan Hansen?" _

_Trigger felt a tear roll down his cheek at hearing that name "He's me and Trigger's father." Laura told him as Trigger separated from the tanker._

'_Thanks dad' he said to himself as the tankers peeled off. _

_The group watched as the P-1 heading for their base._

_**New arrows air base  
**__**East Usea  
**__22:00pm_

_The jets touched down with Trigger's Eagle being the last one. The only light Avril could see was the eagle's lights. The hangar lights illuminated only small amount of the outside as a familiar low whine came her way._

_Avril__ watched as Trigger brought the jet in. she stopped in her tracks at seeing multiple bullet holes in the fuselage but what worried her the most were the holes in front area. She without any hesitation hurriedly walked over to the jet as the engines shut down and the canopy came up. _

_She pulled the ladder down and climbed up it as Trigger disconnected his mask and harness "You stupid dumbass are you alright?"_

_Trigger could read how worried she was and knew given the bullet holes near the cockpit but smiling know that she was being affectionate by calling him that. "Yeah I'm fine although I might need the doc to check my hearing."_

_Trigger pulled himself from the cockpit standing still to get his bearings as a surge of pain filled his head "Care to help me to the med bay?"_

"_Of Course you dumbass!" she saw in the corner of her eye that he was smiling when she called him that. The hangar doors closed as they left for the medical bay._

_A/n _

_I hope everyone enjoyed the action packed chapter and _I've far surpassed 225k and 250k words written onto 275k now there is just the epilogue to go but I want your opinions should I show the day Trigger retires from the military in the epilogue?


	6. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Ace combat

_New arrows med-bay  
__22:20pm_

_Trigger sat on the bed as the doctor looked down his ears "So Doc any damage?" Trigger wanted to know since his head was still aching and was hurting more than it did earlier._

_Avril was standing by a window watching the rain pour down on the field but she didn't want to look at Trigger given what had happened earlier today._

_"Avril you okay?" Trigger asked having seen how silent she was being. _

_Avril's gaze turned to him, he could tell that she still was upset with him "How are you feeling and please don't ever do that ever again."_

_Trigger sighed "You know I can't promise that but I'll try." _

_The doc handed him some medicine. "Take two of these and call me in the morning."_

_"Wiseman wants to see you in the mess hall." Avril told him know where she'll be going. _

_Mess hall  
__22:30pm_

_Trigger stepped into the mess hall seeing it was engulfed in darkness, he reached for the light switch but as soon as he pressed everyone jumped out "Surprise."_

_Trigger smiled feeling happy couldn't feel surprise as he kinda expected this "Thanks guys." he could see a small amount of food and champagne "I kinda of expected this."_

_Long Caster rolled his eyes sighing "Trigger i admire your ability to handle the unexpected but if we hold a surprise party for you do us a favour and act surprised!"_

_Wiseman who could feel everyone's eagerness to start the party "We're waiting for North to update us on the situation in the capital but either way the operation is complete." the excitement in the room was at a fever pitch._

_Skald could barely contain his excitement "Can we celebrate now?" the team was hungry after the long flight and they had a birthday to celebrate._

_Wiseman knew that his team were eager to enjoy themselves given that they had just sunk a power enemy asset. "Yeah good work." The group let out a holler of cheers even Wiseman couldn't resist feeling a little excited himself but remembered what he read this morning "Your next mission is in 32 hours."_

_"Woah!" Lanza couldn't believe that they had another mission so soon after destroying the Alicorn. _

_"Are you crazy? Not something I'll tell my son about." Jaeger complained feeling very tired form today's combat._

_"Gimme a break." Count groaned then made a mad dash for the food intent on stopping Long Caster devouring it all. He wondered how Long Caster kept his slim waistline given how much he ate. _

_David north finally got through "At last." the pilots were eager to get the party started but David had information to share some good and some bad as Trigger sprang from his seat._

_ "Ahh David so what's the situation in Oured?" Trigger wondered for most the evening about what was going on in the capital after all the jammer planes and the 1st shell. He knew by now the jammers would have returned to base._

_"Well there were some injuries when the groups of demonstrators clashed but the government is handling the information out towards the public. Although international shipping remains disrupted despite nation effort to get it moving again." David was well aware of the shipping disruption caused by the war thanks to the erusean drones as he's waiting for something bought from Emmeria. _

_Trigger remembered something the former brigadier general had said 'If we can secure that evidence; we'll gain advantage in the peace negotiations post war.' he wondered if Osea had salvaged the first Alicorn nuclear shell since Osea lacks tactical accumen but a nuclear weapon laying in the sea they couldn't afford to ignore if someone else got their hands on it. "David is Osea salvaging the first Alicorn shell?" _

_David had anticipated this since the navy were on the way to the site where at the shell landed "Unfortunately the shell was destroyed on impact with the sea but there's some new intel we obtained for our spy satellite."_

_Wiseman looked at his team and thought to himself given that an erusean prototype had been destroyed he felt they had to hear this "We recently obtained some very disturbing intel a new prototype drone developed by Eursea single handedly defeated ten of their own wasp uavs in a mock dogfight." David's information soured the mood of the group "Allow me to offer a warning to you all, beware the Raven Three Strikes."_

_"But we'll deal with that later for tonight you're free to enjoy yourselves." Wiseman knew wary pilots didn't perform at their best when fatigued._

_Trigger and Laura approached Wiseman "So Wiseman are me and my sister in trouble for what we did on the mission? and will Avril be sent back to Tyler?" Trigger wanted closure on that given was on his mind on the way back. _

_Wiseman having looked up international law "When the Alicorn prepared to fire its rail cannon, Torres's surrender became null and voided so no you're not and unfortunately I was only able to get her till today so tomorrow a transport will be taking her and some supplies to Tyler island." _

July 27th 2022  
Fort greys air base  
Usea  
17:00pm

"The end." Trigger looked at Erich who really liked the story. Avril had loved the story herself.

"That was the best thank you for telling me that story Trigger and for keeping me company." Erich cried out as Jaeger re-entered the room seeing his son very happy.

Jaeger turned to his son "So which one did Trigger tell you?"

"The hunt for the Alicorn sea monster." Jaeger remembered that one well.

"Well thanks for looking after him for today." His gaze shifted for towards the desk "What's the paperwork?"

He looked back at the desk "Just the paperwork for registering my private jet plus the starfighter on the Ustio civil aviation register." something had been bothering him since this morning "So why did you bring Erich here today?"

Jaeger leaned against the wall "My wife is on a business trip and Erich's school is closed due to a burst water main." he turned to his son "Your mom will be calling soon wanna come?" Erich shook his head "Okay I'll be back shortly."

He left the room quietly as Avril had dozed off during the story. Trigger quietly returned to his desk looking at the paperwork briefly then slowly closed his eyes thinking back to the events after he ended the story.

_September 14th 2019  
__New Arrows air base  
__22:45pm_

_"Trigger I just want you to know Alex told me that the chances of you ending this war are very high and I know with you around Osea can't lose. Maybe after the war ends I'll come and visit know any good coffee places?"_

_Trigger racked his mind trying to remember the name "That I do there's this little cafe in Selatapura I read up about that I've been meaning to visit it." _

_"Well Three Strikes bonne chance with bringing victory and oh happy birthday." David even on video call could pick up Trigger wasn't feeling happy. _

_"Thanks David see ya sometime I hope." Trigger fell quiet as David disconnected his call but Trigger didn't feel in the mood so quietly sat down at a nearby table._

_The lrssg crews were enjoying the party but Trigger was sitting by himself pondering about how his life had been messed so badly up when his number 2 in the squadron sat down carrying two plates of food "Trigger is something on your mind?" Skald asked him having seen him sitting alone so thought best to give him some company._

_"Yeah how much I hate the fucking iun peacekeeping forces and this war but the iun is the one I hate more." Trigger's hatred of the war was understandable to Skald given how much death and destruction Trigger had witnessed. _

_"Why?" Skald couldn't understand why Trigger hated the body that was supposed to help protect world peace. The look on Trigger's face told him that the iun had personally wronged him and he was intending to make them pay for it._

_"Why?" Trigger glared at his wingman as if he was out of the loop "They court martialed me and threw me in prison for a crime I didn't commit." Skald had heard about the iun court martial of a pilot but no-one mentioned who "I'm in talks with my lawyer cousin to file a lawsuit against the iun for false conviction and false imprisonment and if the iun try to get me to fly for them then they take their offer and shove it." _

_Trigger had no wish to fly with the iun again after what they did to him. Skald thought about it and asked himself what he'd do in Trigger's shoes if the same thing happened to him. "Honestly Trigger what they did to you was wrong and I support you no matter what." Skald thought back to that uav encounter "You know that uav you brought down was part of an advanced erusean drone that Cyclops engaged earlier that day." _

_Wiseman and the base commander who'd been watching Trigger rant off his frustration to Skald felt like Trigger had a legit right to be upset and not want anything to do with the iun in future to a point where they wondered if he'd up and retire after the war was over. "Trigger's growing war weary." _

_The Base commander despite feeling war weary himself knew they had a problem "I don't think the higher ups realise that as much as we rely on Three Strikes so much that we forget the person behind the name." Wiseman got what the man was saying cause he couldn't deny that the war had been taking its toll on everyone. The base commander decided to turn in for the night._

_Trigger placed food on a tray along with two cups and a wine bottle. He had looked around for Avril who was absent but knew where she'd be. "Where are you slipping off Trigger?" he stopped in his tracks._

_Trigger looked for other exits but knew the only one was behind Wiseman._

_"You're going to the hangar to see her, aren't you." He inquired._

_"Yes sir. It's just that she hasn't come here and she is still working there so I'm taking some food and drink to her, that's all." Trigger answered._

_Wiseman smirked and looked back at the rest of the crew celebrating. Turning to look at Trigger again, he leaned forward._

_"I understand. I do want you to know however, relationships are discouraged. But they aren't forbidden."_

_Trigger stumbled a bit and felt his ears burn. "Oh no, it isn't like that all-"_

_Cutting him off with a low chuckle, Wiseman flashed him a knowing smile and only said, "Sure it isn't."_

_He turned on his heels and walked back to the rest of the crew who were ready to begin a game of pool, leaving Trigger standing with a plate in one hand and a bottle of champagne in the other, his face flushed. "Bonne chance Trigger."_

_Trigger feeling empowered made him way to the hangar._

_New arrows Hangar no.2  
__23:05pm_

_Walking into the dimly lit hangar, Trigger's eyes quickly adjusted to his plane in the centre, and a woman under it focused on her work._

_"Hey."_

_She looked up and noticed him standing with a grin on his face, a plate of food in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other, fingers holding the two cups by their handles._

_Scoffing, Avril shook her head and put her hands on her hips, smiling as she said, "So are you my waiter or something? What's all this?"_

_"Figured you were hungry, you didn't show up at the party." He told her, walking over to her and setting the plate down._

_"I was going to eat when I was done, which coincidentally would be after you all had left too." She answered, watching him pour wine into the two cups._

_"Too bad, you're stuck with having to eat with me now." He smiled, holding the cup out to her._

_"Dumbass..." She grinned at him, taking the cup from him and picking the plate up._

_A hot meal and a few cups of champagne later, the sounds of laughter and clinking were all that came from the hangar._

_"You are the most stupid man I have ever met." Avril said, her speech slurred as she waved her cup around._

_"You... you like me. And you know it." Trigger hiccupped and poked her stomach as she leaned over him._

_"That is not true! I only like the flying because it reminds me of someone!" She said, flicking his forehead as he leaned back into the chair._

_"Oh is that so? W-who?" Trigger asked, leaning side to side as she dropped beside him._

_"I... I told you... I'll tell you when I have to..." She aaid as her expression slightly drooped before perking up again. "Hey look, dumbass. I'm almost done with your plane, too. Look at how she shines!" She pointed over at the cockpit with her cup._

_"Oh my head... I think I've had enough..." Trigger groaned, not paying attention to her._

_"Fucking pussy. Can't hold your drink, Trigger?" She scowled playfully at him._

_"No, I just have an op soon anyway in almost thirty two hours or something. I really shouldn't be drinking much." He muttered._

_"Pussy." She scoffed at him._

_Both fell into a silence as Avril leaned onto him, resting her head onto his shoulder. Thinking about their next course of action both looked up at each other, ready to say something. Their eyes locked, whatever they were going to say dying in their throats as Avril leaned forward. Trigger moved forward, knowing nothing could ruin this, but already forgot about the drink in his hand and his clumsiness. Her hand touched his and he drunkenly tipped it over, spilling its contents over her shirt and staining it._

_The moment ruined, Avril leaned back and surveyed the mess as a darker stain of black steadily began moving down. Thankfully enough for her, it had missed her chest, but her stomach and the bottom of her shirt began to become sticky._

_Trigger looked up at her, eyes widened in a horrified expression as he put the cup down. Knowing she wasn't going to let him live for this, he swallowed his fear and began his sputtering apology to at least try and save himself a world of too much hurt as anger flared up in her eyes and her brows furrowed into a scowl._

_"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, it was an accide- ack!"_

_She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down to her face, her slightly glassy furious eyes scaring him more than a missile lock on. Trigger drunkenly braced himself._

_"Look, anything but the face! Anything but the face!" He tried to keep her from hurting him too much until he noticed the angry expression change into an unreadable one. Her scowl turned to a smirk, which scared him far more than her anger._

_"Not the face, huh?" Avril said, her speech slurred. She reached around and grabbed the back of his head with one hand, gripping his hair as the other pulled up her wet shirt, exposing her sticky stomach._

_Unable to keep his eyes off it, Trigger stopped bracing himself. She took that as her cue to plunge his face down, slamming his face against her ab-striped belly, uttering only two words._

_"Clean it."_

_Hesitating as his face was pressed against her stomach, he looked up at her and drunk eyes locked with each other. She gripped his hair tightly again._

_"I said... clean it."_

_Knowing better than to disobey her, Trigger stuck his tongue out and pressed it against her stomach, the taste of wine mixed with her own stinging his tongue. She began rocking herself as he lapped away, her grip loosening on her hair as he put his arms around her slender waist, not needing her domineering encouragement any further as he continued licking every inch of it._

_Once he was done, he stopped and looked up, levelling his face with hers. One intoxicated look was all it took as she lunged forward pinning him down onto the sofa, her hands tangling in his hair, as he held her, her lips pressed against his._

_If someone was still awake and looked outside right now, they would have seen a man stumbling out of he hangar with a woman in his arms, both locked in a tipsy ferocious battle. _

_September 15th 2019  
__07:05am_

_The shine of the morning sun filtering into the room prompted Trigger to flinch and shut his eyes tightly. His head cushioned between two large and soft mounds, he turned to push his face into them and the welcoming darkness away from the sunlight they brought, pulling the shirt that covered them up even more. Inhaling deeply, he rubbed his face into them, feeling them poke his face and hugged Avril tightly._

_Stirring, Avril felt a weight on her and pushed off, turning away to her side, much to his dismay. Her back now facing him, he still hugged it, nuzzling the back of her neck._

_"Dumbass..." she muttered sleepily._

_"Good morning to you too." He smiled while kissing her neck and enjoying the scent. "Hey, last night... it wasn't too rough was it?"_

_"My leg is still a little numb." She groaned, her voiced laced with tiredness and his nibbling becoming more frequent as she tried to ignore the feeling._

_Feeling guilt well up inside him, Trigger trailed a hand down her back and placed it on her leg, massaging it gently and closing his eyes. The soreness of his own legs came back to him._

_"There..." He muttered, resuming his neck kissing as her eyes drooped._

_After a few enjoyable minutes of massages, Avril felt something hard poking into her back, and jumped as his hand trailed up her leg and pinched her ass. Opening her eyes to glare at him, she noticed the sly grin on his face as he went back to nibbling her neck._

_The scent becoming overbearing in the room as he tightened his hug, his face pressed against her shoulder and his stubble tickled her._

_"Stop that..." She groaned, smacking his hand away as it hiked up her hips. Instead, his arm wrapped around her front and pulled her in once more._

_"You need a shower. Or we both need a shower, don't you think." Trigger told her, still nipping her neck and moving up to her chin but she smacked his hips._

_"Then go take one, dumbass. Let me sleep, I'm exhausted." Avril said. Hearing soft chuckling, she felt lips plant a kiss on her cheek and arms squeeze her once more before loosening. The bed creaked as it shifted, supporting only one person on it as the other got up._

_"I'll see you at breakfast." _

_**09:00am**_

_Avril stepped into the mess hall which was quiet but the smell fresh cooked food drew her to where Trigger was sitting. She saw the plate before her had two fried eggs with sliced bacon and sausages, jam on toast, pancakes with syrup, cereal and cup of coffee. "All this for me?" Trigger had made all this for her and even enough for himself too._

_"Of course doubt you've not had a full osean breakfast before." Avril sat down and tucked both aware of the elephant in the room. Trigger slid the coffee towards her. _

_Avril brought the coffee to her lips liking the taste "Yeah." Trigger and Avril looked at each other unsure who should go first, neither wanted to be the first on that. Avril wolfed down a sausage. _

_"So have you enjoyed your time with us?" Trigger asked her and Avril thought back to the night before remembering all the passion. Despite being drunk she enjoyed the night._

_"Yeah I did." Trigger put down his juice "So favourite moments?" Avril inquired cause as much as she would remember the night she didn't want it getting out. _

_Avril finished her eggs and coffee "Well going on those two missions." She couldn't wait to tell Tabloid "Hey Trigger can I tell Tabloid about the ops you took me on?"_

_Trigger looked around seeing no-one "I don't see why not as long as you make sure he doesn't blab." Trigger could picture the jealous look Tabloid would likely have. "So when does your transport arrive?"_

_Avril sighed to herself "This afternoon." she wished that she could stay "How about we check on your jet?" Trigger liked that idea since he wanted his jet ready for the raid on cape rainy. The pair finished up their breakfast and headed for the hangar._

_**16:00pm**_

_Trigger and Avril stepped out onto the tarmac "Can you believe that erusean pilots lost to you in a conversion trainer aircraft." Trigger remembered the bats "Also kicked the butt of those mercenaries in it too talk about embarrassing." _

_Avril was thinking back to the encounters with the mercs. "Yeah their reputation won't go up once that gets out." Trigger couldn't help but agree._

_They stopped in front of the transport Avril looked up at him 'Trigger you want to stay for him don't you.' Avril looked away form him towards the jet. Trigger noticed this thinking something was bothering her._

_"Is something on your mind?" Trigger inquired curiously._

_She quickly came to look back at him "It's nothing but I want this war over quickly." Avril had grown tired of the war cause of all the problems and headaches it had caused her not to mention the loss of an 8 year restoration project._

_They walked up to the steps of the aircraft side door "I'll do my best to end this war." She stepped onto the stairs but stopped at the first step._

_She turned around "Hey Trigger look after your plane for once and please don't be reckless." Avril watched as he stepped onto the step facing her. _

_"Is this it for now?" Avril felt sad that she couldn't stick around and help out more but Trigger noted that she sounded a little flustered. _

_"I honestly don't know." Trigger wanted Avril to stick around cause he liked having her around cause despite their arguments they worked well as team._

_'You like him don't you so stop denying it.' Avril's mind told her but she didn't believe it as much as she did a few days ago._

_She looked into his eyes as they leaned forward till their lips met in a passionate kiss. They held the kiss for a few minutes then separated. _

_Avril stepped aboard the globemaster and the door closed. Trigger stepped back unaware that Wiseman was watching with a huge smile. _

_Trigger watched the globemaster roar down the runway lifting off minutes later. Trigger turned around but didn't get very far when he noticed Wiseman standing against a door with a smirk. _

_Trigger stopped in his tracks his cheeks blushed a deep red "What?" Wiseman didn't say a thing but just nodded at him still smirking._

_"Its nothing." he turned around knowing they had a mission briefing in an hour. Trigger resumed his walk intending to relax before the brief for the mission "It must have been an eventful night last night." _

_Wiseman's words stopped Trigger in his tracks as Wiseman disappeared from sight leaving him with his thoughts. _

**Back in the present**  
17:30pm

Avril had awoken form her nap but quickly noticed that Trigger had a blank expression like he was daydreaming when Jaeger opened the door which Trigger snapped out of his daydream as Erich raced over to him which "So Erich did you enjoy your visit here?"

he nodded feeling very happy "Yes."

Jaeger looked at his flight lead "Thank you Trigger for looking after my son today."

**Several hours later**

Trigger walked into the room. He slowly climbed onto the sofa next to her and scooped her up into his arms gently rocking her. Avril looked up smiling "Where is all this coming from?"

He leaned against the sofa as Avril rested her head on his lap "I just wanted to do this because its been a while since I did this."

Avril laughed "I've not just been around for only the morning you know."

Trigger grinned "That's already going too long without you." she slapped his shoulder.

Avril leaned against his shoulder "Dumbass." Avril felt a surge of pain "Uhh Trigger." he quickly looked as her.

Trigger felt the seat become soaked as had his lap. Jeager noticed a puddle of water around Avril's feet. "I'd say her water just broke" but Jaeger knew as he'd seen this when Alica had Erich "Med bay now."

**Outside the med-bay **

"Why is this taking so long? They shouldn't have kicked me out should they? That's a bad sign right?" Trigger was panicking and pacing around the length of the delivery room in front of Count, Jaeger, Huxian, Elena, Alexis.

"Sometimes the delivery is a little harder than it should be on the mother." Alexis speaking up in an attempt to try to calm Trigger while wincing at another pain filled scream from Avril that had everyone wincing and Trigger more worried, his wife was in pain and he wasn't there.

"Don't worry Trigger please calm down it's going to be okay. Women a lot weaker mentally, physically, emotionally than Avril go through labour every day and they make it out alright."

"She sounds like she's in a lot of pain! That's not good is it? Is she supposed to be screaming that much?"Trigger asked tensing up again when he heard another scream from his wife and making Alexis and the other mothers in the room snicker.

"That's normal Scott. It's not exactly fun to push something the size of a watermelon out of a hole the size of an apple at the most." Elena tried to soothe her son's nerves.

You'll be able to go in and see your children in a little while and you'll be awestruck at the little life you helped create." Elena spoke up to help calm him down, placing a supportive hand on his shoulder while inwardly she was worried as well but was trying to not show it. It wouldn't do for Trigger to see her panic as well...the poor father to be was panicking enough for everyone else in the hall.

"I hope you don't plan on hogging them." Alexis said making the other women look amused as the soon to be grand mothers argued over who would do what with the babies. Until a louder than normal scream of pain and several creative curse words all aimed at Trigger came from the delivery room.

The door opened and they all turned to see the doctor.

"She's yelling for you to be in there." He said to Trigger.

Without hesitation, he rushed in, seeing his wife on the stretcher. Immediately posting himself at her side, he took hold of her hand, squeezing gently to show his support to her.

Avril's scream filled the air once more as she heaved. Trigger worriedly looked at her and patted her arm, holding her hand tightly.

"Shh, It's okay, I know this hurts, just breathe deeply, Avie. You're doing fine." He tried to console her but to avail.

"I'M GOING TO SHOVE ONE OF MY TOOLS UP YOUR ASS AND PULL IT OUT SO YOU'D KNOW A FRACTION OF WHAT THIS FEELS LIKE!" She yelled at him, her face contorted into one of rage and pain.

"I know! I know, hun! I know it hurts but I'm here for you! I'm right here!" He worriedly told her, although he wasn't sure whether the worry was from her pain or what she said she would do. Her hand gripped his tightly as he felt the circulation begin to stop.

Another scream shattered through the air as Avril gritted her teeth, straining herself through the pain.

"WHEN I'M DONE HERE I'M-"

"I know! I know! I'm sorry! Just breathe in and out Avie, you're doing great, deep breaths okay-" He tried to tell her but his own yell mixed with hers and his legs bucked, almost dropping to his knees as Avril almost crushed his hand with her iron grip.

Meanwhile outside, the onlookers heard with horrified but amused faces.

"And she just turned the bones in his fingers to dust." Huxian said with a deadpan face, as the rest of the cringed at the thought, hearing Trigger scream along with Avril.

"Jesus." Count scrunched up his eyes, not sure whether to feel bad for his wingman or his mechanic.

The group hears a pair of cries as the door opened as Avril let go of Trigger's hand which to him hurt like hell.

Avril felt heavy fatigue after giving birth but Trigger leans in close as Avril held her babies. She put them down on her lap and wrapping her arms around his neck holding him tightly "I wasn't going to do what I said I'd do to you when I was in labour."

Everyone laughed a little but Avril knew she could carry out her threat "I'll be keeping them in mind though." Trigger laughed and looked at his children.

"So what are we going to call them?"

"Their name's are Venus and Celeste" Avril responded as she gave Venus to Trigger. He put Venus in her incubator wondering how he'd adapt to the newest addition to his family.

"Avril I'm going to retire from the military now that we have a family."

Avril was taken back by Trigger's plans since she wasn't expecting him to retire so soon. But knew he had more to think about now. "I think I'll do the same for our family too."

December 31st 2022  
Fort greys air base lounge

The strider squadron had gathered in the room wondering what Trigger had to tell them. Avril was seated with her daughters in her lap both asleep.

Trigger had seen that Huxian and Count were going to have a child too but his gaze looked back at his kids. He knew that they should get the childhood he was denied. Trigger stood up composing himself know this was going to be a big decision although he had heard the lrssg was being disbanded and strider squadron deactivated "Avril and I have come to a decision to retire from active duty for a much simpler family life."

The other strider members knew that Trigger's personal loss must have played a role in the decision "Well I saw we let Long Caster babysit while we go out and celebrate." Avril and Trigger had let Long Caster babysit their children while working and they found they had not given him trouble."

After the children are in Long Caster's care, the group headed out for dinner to celebrate.

January 5th, 2023  
Solus Ortis  
Ustio

"Okay. Now cut it like this."

"Like this?"

"Yeah. That's how."

Trigger watched as Avril sliced the meat carefully with her knife.

"Well, almost. With my help, you'll get the hang of it." He told her, placing his knife away.

"You said this was basic." Avril grumbled, picking up a loaf of bread.

"This is basic. Well, it is a more advanced type of a regular sandwich. You liked this very well years ago when you were with us while we hunted a submarine, remember?"

"Advanced sandwiches. Christ, you dumbass. I could just ask you to make me one of these. I know how to make food, just not this one that you can make." Avril turned to tell him.

"And that is why I'm teaching you. Now here." Trigger flashed her a smile before stepping behind her. Hugging her for a second, he rested both his palms on top of her hands, raising the knife to rest the blade against the slab of meat.

"You cut it along here thinly, see?" Trigger whispered to her, directing the blade seamlessly through it.

"Now you try."

Trigger watched her cut it thinly piece by piece carefully, placing the slices in a nearby plate. As Avril worked, he put his arms around her waist from behind, resting his head on her shoulder. His hands pressed against her stomach, and began to unbutton her shirt and her pants under her apron.

She jumped at the movement and turned her face to glare at his smirking one on her shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing?" She scowled.

"You should loosen up a bit. Its not good to cook while stressing." He turned his face to peck her nose as she moved her face back.

"Perverted dumbass." She scoffed. "Well, I can't wait to take my drag racer back to the skies." She said, turning the conversation to her plane as he undressed her.

Her shirt came off and dangled off her shoulder as her pants lowered over the curve of her hips till it was around her thighs.

"You will need to shed the pregnancy pounds first and train to get proficiency checked, you know. You haven't flown in a while." He told her.

"That sucks." She scowled, not happy that she had to wait longer.

Kissing her cheek, Trigger said to her, "The kids are still asleep. Let's get back to cooking."

Avril looked at him incredulously. "This is cooking?"

"Of course." He said. Her shirt and pants finally off, she stood in only her underwear and an apron that clung to her curves as her husband hugged her from behind.

"It's simple. All you have to do now is put the meat in between two buns."

Suddenly she felt something hard and long in between her thighs. Jumping as she felt him grope her ass swiftly at the word "buns", she turned her scowling and blushing face to look at him with a smirk.

Before Trigger could do anything else, she suddenly whipped around and grabbed him, pushing him back against the counter behind them. He looked down at her in surprise as she held him and raised her hand, holding another apron. He looked from it to her.

"I'm not asking, dumbass. I'm demanding."

A/n

I hope everyone enjoyed this story and I'd like to thank all who assisted me with this I also hope some of the scenes aren't too explicit cause I don't want to be in violation of site rules which are tricky to interpret

it will likely be a while before I start free erusea strikes back but I do have other short fics in the works

I'm holding up okay in national quarantine but am wishing it would be over

I'll see you all next time and remember stick with Trigger and you'll make it


End file.
